Adjustment to zmount of the excess of the fair value of acquired net assets over the cost of an acquired business after pro rata reduction of the amounts that otherwise would have been assigned to acquired assets except financial assets other than investments accounted for by the equity method, assets to be disposed of by sale, deferred tax assets, prepaid assets relating to pension and postretirement benefit plans, and other current assets. This amount is considered an extraordinary item and often referred to as negative goodwill. This element is gross of the related tax effect.

No definition available.

Acquisitions and Dispositions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
Acquisitions and Dispositions (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 Horizon Bay Realty LLC [Member] Integer	Mar. 31, 2012 Nine Communities Integer	Mar. 31, 2012 Home Health Facilities Integer	Mar. 31, 2012 First Mortgage Financing [Member] Integer	Mar. 31, 2012 Seller-financing [Member] Integer
Schedule of Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Date of acquisition or disposition			2011-09-01
Number of facilities purchased or sold				9	2
Aggregate purchase price				$ 121,300,000	$ 3,700,000
Acquisition purchase price, amount financed						77,900,000	15,000,000
Number of communities securing acquisition financing						7	2
Date of acquisition				2012-02-02
Percentage of equity agreed to acquire (in hundredths)			100.00%
Number of communities previously leased to Horizon By from HCP, Inc.			33
Number of communities owned and operated through joint venture with HCP, Inc.			21
Number of communities leased from HCP, Inc			12
Management agreement of joint venture (in years)			10
Number of five-year renewal options under the management agreement			4
Number of communities where the HCP, Inc. pre-existing lease was assumed			8
Number of communities where new lease was entered into			4
Maximum contingent consideration			3,400,000
Contingent consideration arrangements description			The contingent consideration arrangement requires the Company to pay up to a maximum of approximately $3.4 million to Horizon Bay's former members. The Company estimated the fair value of the contingent consideration using a probability-weighted discounted cash flow model. This fair value measurement is based on significant inputs not observable in the market and thus represents a Level 3 measurement as defined in ASC 820. The key assumption in applying the income approach was the assignment of probabilities to the various possible outcomes.
Ownership interest in joint venture			10.00%
Gain on acquisition	(636,000)	0	2,000,000
Adjustment to gain on acquisition	(600,000)
Contingent consideration, at fair value			$ 2,700,000