Acquisitions and Other Significant Transactions (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended				3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	May 01, 2015 USD ($) Community	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($) Community	Feb. 28, 2015 USD ($) Community	Aug. 31, 2014 USD ($) Community Unit Entity Property Member Representative	Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($) Community	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Community shares	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) Community	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) Community	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Community shares	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) Community	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Community Lease shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Community shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) Community $ / shares shares	Jan. 31, 2017	Jul. 30, 2014 shares
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of voting interests acquired					100.00%
Number of communities operated under long-term leases | Community						539										539
Aggregate acquisition-date fair value of purchase consideration transferred					$ 3,000,000
Amount of mortgage indebtedness assumed					$ 1,400,000
Number of underlying communities with which mortgage loans collateralized | Community					179
Transaction costs of acquisition																$ 3,990	$ 8,252	$ 66,949
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares) | shares						400,000,000				400,000,000						400,000,000	400,000,000			400
Number of venture transactions entered by the entity | Unit				2
Term of master agreement				15 years
Percentage of interest acquired in joint venture (in hundredths)				51.00%
Partners Joint Venture Ownership Percentage (in hundredths)				49.00%
Number of wholly-owned entities contributed to the venture by the entity | Entity				8
Number of communities owned by the entity | Community				8
Number of wholly-owned entities contributed to the venture by venture partner | Entity				3
Number of properties owned by venture partner | Property				3
Number of communities owned by venture partner | Community				2
Number of Communities Deconsolidated | Community																		10
Cash contributed to venture by venture partner				$ 323,500
Number of members on board | Member				6
Number of representatives on board | Representative				3
Number of communities under master lease and security agreement | Community				112
Number of communities under triple net leases agreement | Community				41
Number of pools under amended master leases agreement | Unit				3
Master leases term for Pool one communities				14 years
Master leases term for Pool two communities				15 years
Master leases term for Pool three communities				16 years
Number of extension options | Unit				2
Term of extension option				10 years
Base rent as per amended master leases agreement				$ 158,000
Maximum available reimbursement for capital expenditures by co venturer				$ 100,000
Initial lease rate for lessor reimbursements for capital expenditures (in hundredths)				7.00%
Number of communities for which purchase option included in master lease | Community				10
Maximum aggregate purchase price of communities under purchase option				$ 60,000
Number Of Communities With Cancelled Purchase Options | Community				49
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community									7							51		4
Number of communities with modified term | Community				20
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount																		$ 275,900
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Total revenue																		5,055,000
Net loss attributable to common shares																		$ (103,000)
Basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common shares | $ / shares																		$ (0.59)
Weighted average shares used in computing basic and diluted net loss per share (in shares) | shares																		175,823
Loss on facility lease termination																$ 11,113	$ 76,143	$ 0
Asset impairment						$ 221,877	$ 19,111	$ 4,152	$ 3,375	$ 57,941	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0			248,515	57,941	9,992
Aggregate selling price									$ 46,700									9,200
Assets held for sale						97,843				110,620						97,843	110,620
Long-term debt, less current portion						$ 3,413,998				$ 3,459,371						$ 3,413,998	$ 3,459,371
Communities classified as held for sale | Community						51				17						51	17
Partners Joint Venture Ownership Percentage				49.00%
Investment in unconsolidated ventures																$ (13,377)	$ (69,297)	(26,499)
Facility operating expense (excluding depreciation and amortization of $469,388, $684,448 and $503,662, respectively)																2,799,402	2,788,862	2,210,368
Resident fees																$ 4,168,621	4,177,127	$ 3,301,297
Number of Communities | Lease																97
Remaining base lease terms, maximum																16 years
Percentage ownership in unconsolidated joint ventures																			10.00%
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance						$ 264,305				$ 121,602						$ 264,305	121,602
Net operating loss carryforwards and tax credits						$ 369,500										$ 369,500
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues | shares																10,298,506		10,299,000
Proceeds from public equity offering, net																$ 0	$ 0	$ 330,386
Deferred Offering Costs																		$ 400
Weighted average interest rate																		5.50%
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount																		$ 275,900
Common stock issued in connection with Emeritus acquisition																		$ 1,648,782
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Acquisitions | shares																		47,584,000
CCRCs JV [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community				4
RIDEA JV [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of interest acquired in joint venture (in hundredths)				20.00%
Partners Joint Venture Ownership Percentage (in hundredths)				80.00%
Advance from co venturers affiliate				$ 68,000
Number of communities contributed by venture partner | Community				49
Lease restructuring fee payable to co venturer				$ 34,000
Period with in which lease restructuring fee payable				2 years
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount																		$ 68,000
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Partners Joint Venture Ownership Percentage				80.00%
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount																		68,000
Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate (in hundredths)					5.49%
Debt maturity period					3 months
Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate (in hundredths)					6.06%
Debt maturity period					33 years
Retirement Centers [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community					3
Preliminary Allocation of Purchase Price [Abstract]
Goodwill acquired during period																		20,499
Assisted Living [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community					1
Preliminary Allocation of Purchase Price [Abstract]
Goodwill acquired during period																		497,900
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Communities classified as held for sale | Community						13										13
Brookdale Ancillary Services [Member]
Preliminary Allocation of Purchase Price [Abstract]
Goodwill acquired during period																		126,810
CCRCs Rental [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Communities classified as held for sale | Community						3										3
Emeritus [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities operated | Community					493
Number of communities operated under long-term leases | Community					311
Transaction costs of acquisition																		57,100
Number of communities owned by the entity | Community					182
Revenue of acquired business																		785,500
Income (Loss) of acquired business																		128,200
Preliminary Allocation of Purchase Price [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents						$ 28,000										$ 28,000
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles						5,506,000										5,506,000
Goodwill acquired during period																		$ 645
Other intangible assets, net						259,000										259,000
Other assets, net						307,000										307,000
Trade Accounts Payable and accrued expenses						(297,000)										(297,000)
Long-term debt						(1,516,000)										(1,516,000)
Capital and Financing Lease obligations						(2,692,000)										(2,692,000)
Deferred tax liability						(339,000)										(339,000)
Other liabilities						(251,000)										(251,000)
Noncontrolling interest						(1,000)										(1,000)
Fair value of Brookdale common stock issued						1,649,000										1,649,000
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments															$ 5,900
Acquisition of Communities [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community					4
Aggregate purchase price					$ 51,400
Acquisition purchase price amount financed					$ 17,000
Number of communities securing acquisition financing | Community					3
Acquired property plant and equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Fair Value Inputs, Cap Rate					5.50%
Acquired property plant and equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Fair Value Inputs, Cap Rate					9.75%
Acquired capital and financing lease obligations [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Fair Value Inputs, Cap Rate					6.00%
Acquired capital and financing lease obligations [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Fair Value Inputs, Cap Rate					10.75%
Acquired long-term debt obligations [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate					3.00%
Acquired long-term debt obligations [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate					7.00%
SellerFinanced Debt [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
LoanTerm																	5 years
Seller financing fixed rate										8.00%							8.00%
Principal										$ 20,000							$ 20,000
February 2015 acquisition of 15 communities [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community			15
Aggregate purchase price			$ 268,600
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Fair Value of Assets Acquired			187,200
Reversal of deferred lease liability			5,300
Loss on facility lease termination			$ 76,100
February 2015 acquisition of 15 communities [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Fair Value Inputs, Cap Rate			6.25%
February 2015 acquisition of 15 communities [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Fair Value Inputs, Cap Rate			8.75%
5 Communities acquired in October 2015 [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community		5
Aggregate purchase price		$ 78,400
Communities sold during 2015 [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community																	17
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Asset impairment																	$ 18,400
Aggregate selling price																	82,900
HCP Community Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community	1																	9
Aggregate purchase price	$ 8,600																	$ 60,000
Assets held for sale [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Asset impairment						4,100										15,799	33,600	0
Assets held for sale						$ 278,675										$ 278,675		0
Long-term debt, less current portion										$ 60,800							60,800
Communities classified as held for sale | Community						16										16
Facility operating expense (excluding depreciation and amortization of $469,388, $684,448 and $503,662, respectively)																$ 42,000
Resident fees																47,200
Current portion of long-term debt related to assets held for sale						$ 60,500										$ 60,500
Agreement to sell 44 communities [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community														44
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Aggregate selling price														$ 252,500
Communities classified as held for sale | Community						2										2
Agreements to sell seven communities [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community																7
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Communities classified as held for sale | Community						4										4
Sale of 32 communities [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community							32
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Aggregate selling price							$ 177,500
Sale of 9 communities [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community						9
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Aggregate selling price						$ 47,700
Removal of one community from the agreement to sell 44 communities [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community																1
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Aggregate selling price																$ 4,700
64 communities in the Blackstone Venture [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash contributed to venture by venture partner																$ 170,000
Number of communities contributed by venture partner | Community																4
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Aggregate selling price																$ 1,125,000
Investment in unconsolidated ventures																63,000
Facility operating expense (excluding depreciation and amortization of $469,388, $684,448 and $503,662, respectively)																182,000
Cash Lease Payment																88,400
Resident fees																$ 264,700
Number of Communities | Community																64
Remaining base lease terms, maximum																12 years
Percentage ownership in unconsolidated joint ventures						15.00%										15.00%
Carrying value of lease obligations in excess of carrying value of lease assets						$ 107,000										$ 107,000
64 communities in the Blackstone Venture [Member] | Retirement Centers [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Community																9
64 communities in the Blackstone Venture [Member] | Assisted Living [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Community																48
64 communities in the Blackstone Venture [Member] | CCRCs Rental [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Community																7
Termination of 8 triple net leases [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Facility operating expense (excluding depreciation and amortization of $469,388, $684,448 and $503,662, respectively)																$ 30,600
Cash Lease Payment																11,300
Resident fees																$ 41,100
Number of Communities | Lease																7
Percentage ownership in unconsolidated joint ventures						10.00%										10.00%
Termination of 8 triple net leases [Member] | Retirement Centers [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Community																1
Termination of 8 triple net leases [Member] | Assisted Living [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Community																6
Termination of 8 triple net leases [Member] | CCRCs Rental [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Community																1
Termination of 25 triple net leases [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Loss on facility lease termination																$ 11,100
Facility operating expense (excluding depreciation and amortization of $469,388, $684,448 and $503,662, respectively)																58,600
Cash Lease Payment																18,900
Resident fees																$ 72,200
Number of Communities | Lease																25
Termination of 25 triple net leases [Member] | Assisted Living [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Community																23
Termination of 25 triple net leases [Member] | CCRCs Rental [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Community																2
Property, Plant and Equipment [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Asset impairment						$ 151,300										$ 166,200	23,400	10,000
Investment in Unconsolidated Ventures [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Asset impairment						36,800										36,800	0	0
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Asset impairment						$ 29,700										$ 29,700	$ 900	$ 0
Agreement to Terminate 8 triple net leases [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Lease																8
Sale of 3 communities [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community						3
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Aggregate selling price						$ 33,000
Sale of 3 communities [Member] | Retirement Centers [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community						1
Sale of 3 communities [Member] | Assisted Living [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community						1
Sale of 3 communities [Member] | CCRCs Rental [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of communities purchased or sold | Community						1
Agreement with HCP to amend the master lease with respect to 19 communities [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Lease																19
Agreement with HCP to amended the master lease with respect to 57 communities [Member]
Pro-forma consolidated operational data [Abstract]
Number of Communities | Lease																57