Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Interest paid	$ 270,352	$ 132,716
Income taxes paid	2,806	2,546
Acquisition of assets, net of related payables and cash received [Line Items]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0
Acquisition of Assets, Net of Related Payables and Cash Received [Member]
Acquisition of assets, net of related payables and cash received [Line Items]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(50,756)	(3,138)
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net	196,196	80,330
Other intangible assets, net	(7,293)	(24,601)
Other liabilities	(315)	0
Long-term debt	(20,000)	(20,568)
Capital and Financing Lease Obligations	75,619	7,795
Net cash paid	193,451	39,818
Capital and financing leases [Member]
Acquisition of assets, net of related payables and cash received [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net	24,535	27,100
Other intangible assets, net	(5,202)	0
Other liabilities	2,296	0
Capital and Financing Lease Obligations	(21,629)	(27,100)
Net cash paid	0	0
Formation of CCRC venture with HCP [Member]
Acquisition of assets, net of related payables and cash received [Line Items]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		(9,137)
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net	0	(728,227)
Other intangible assets, net	0	(56,829)
Other liabilities	0	2,163
Long-term debt	0	170,416
Capital and Financing Lease Obligations	0	27,085
Transfer to Investments	0	192,940
Escrow Deposit Disbursements Related to Property Acquisition	0	413,761
Net cash paid	0	12,172
Formation of HCP 49 Venture [Member]
Acquisition of assets, net of related payables and cash received [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net	0	(525,446)
Other liabilities	0	(9,034)
Long-term debt	0	(67,640)
Capital and Financing Lease Obligations	0	538,355
Transfer to Investments	0	71,656
Net cash paid	0	7,891
Master lease amendments [Member]
Acquisition of assets, net of related payables and cash received [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net	0	385,696
Other intangible assets, net	0	(217,022)
Other liabilities	0	5,338
Long-term debt	0	(174,012)
Net cash paid	0	0
Contribution to CCRC venture with HCP [Member]
Acquisition of assets, net of related payables and cash received [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net	(25,459)	0
Long-term debt	18,115	0
Transfer to Investments	7,344	0
Net cash paid	$ 0	$ 0