Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Interest paid									$ 349,535	$ 360,960	$ 226,594
Income taxes paid									2,047	2,952	2,746
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Assets held for sale	$ 97,843				$ 110,620				97,843	110,620
Trade accounts payable	77,356				128,006				77,356	128,006
Goodwill	705,476				725,696				705,476	725,696
Asset impairment	221,877	$ 19,111	$ 4,152	$ 3,375	57,941	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	248,515	57,941	9,992
Gain on sale of assets									7,218	1,270	446
Acquisition of assets, net of related payables and cash received [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Cash and escrow deposits - restricted									0	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net									0	(53,405)	(3,138)
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net									19,457	198,558	80,330
Capital Lease Obligations Incurred									0	155,230	0
Other intangible assets, net									(7,300)	(7,294)	(23,978)
Accrued expenses									0	0	0
Other liabilities									0	(315)	(20,568)
Long-term debt									0	(101,558)	7,795
Net									12,157	191,216	40,441
Capital and financing leases [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net									0	26,644	27,100
Capital Lease Obligations Incurred									0	(23,738)	(27,100)
Other intangible assets, net									0	(5,202)	0
Other liabilities									0	2,296	0
Net									0	0	0
Formation of CCRC venture with HCP [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Other intangible assets, net									0	0	(56,829)
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net									0	0	(729,123)
Capital Lease Obligations Incurred									0	0	27,085
Other assets, net									0	0	(9,137)
Other liabilities									0	0	1,514
Transfer to Investments									0	0	194,485
Long-term debt									0	0	170,416
Refundable entrance fees and deferred revenue									0	0	413,761
Net									0	0	12,172
Formation of HCP 49 Venture [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net									0	0	(525,446)
Capital Lease Obligations Incurred									0	0	538,355
Other liabilities									0	0	(9,034)
Transfer to Investments									0	0	71,656
Long-term debt									0	0	(67,640)
Net									0	0	7,891
Master lease amendments [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net									0	0	385,696
Capital Lease Obligations Incurred									0	0	(217,022)
Other intangible assets, net									0	0	(174,012)
Other liabilities									0	0	5,338
Net									0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets, net [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net									(4,543)	25,780	0
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net									0	(82,953)	0
Capital Lease Obligations Incurred									0	8,907	0
Other liabilities									3,281	(960)	0
Assets held for sale	(289,452)				0				(289,452)	0	0
Gain on sale of assets									(7,218)	0	0
Net									(297,932)	(49,226)	0
Assets held for sale [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net									(3,195)		0
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net									(262,711)		0
Assets held for sale	278,675								278,675		0
Goodwill	(28,568)								(28,568)		0
Asset impairment	4,100								15,799	33,600	0
Net									0		0
Additions to property, plant and equipment and leasehold improvements [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net									300,113	448,682	304,245
Trade accounts payable	$ 33,534				(37,631)				33,534	(37,631)	0
Net									333,647	411,051	304,245
Contribution to CCRC venture with HCP [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net									0	(25,717)	0
Transfer to Investments									0	7,422	0
Long-term debt									0	18,295	0
Net									$ 0	0	$ 0
Assets Classified as Held for Sale as of December 31, 2015 [Member]
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Operating, Investing, and Financing Activities [Abstract]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net										0
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net										(113,592)
Assets held for sale					110,620					110,620
Goodwill					$ (12,200)					(12,200)
Asset impairment										15,172
Net										$ 0