Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Cash and escrow deposits – restricted consist principally of deposits required by certain lenders and lessors pursuant to the applicable agreement and consist of the following:



	December 31,
(in thousands)	2017		2016
Current:
Real estate tax and property insurance escrows	$	21,603	$	19,671
Replacement reserve escrows	10,960		6,970
Resident deposits	678		764
Other	3,948		5,459
Subtotal	37,189		32,864
Long term:
Insurance deposits	12,364		12,941
CCRC escrows	8,526		13,301
Debt service reserve	1,820		1,819
Subtotal	22,710		28,061
Total	$	59,899	$	60,925

Property, plant and equipment, useful lives

Depreciation and amortization is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which are as follows:



Asset Category		Estimated Useful Life (in years)
Buildings and improvements		40
Furniture and equipment		3 – 7
Resident lease intangibles		1 – 3

As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, net property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, which include assets under capital and financing leases, consisted of the following:



	As of December 31,
(in thousands)	2017			2016
Land	$	449,295		$	455,307
Buildings and improvements	4,923,621			5,053,204
Leasehold improvements	124,850			126,325
Furniture and equipment	1,006,889			974,516
Resident and leasehold operating intangibles	594,748			705,000
Construction in progress	74,678			69,803
Assets under capital and financing leases	1,742,384			2,879,996
	8,916,465			10,264,151
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(3,064,320		)	(2,884,846		)
Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, net	$	5,852,145		$	7,379,305

Definite lived intangible assets, useful lives

Amortization of the Company's definite-lived intangible assets is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which are as follows:



Asset Category		Estimated Useful Life (in years)
Trade names		2 – 5
Other		3 – 9

The following is a summary of other intangible assets.



	December 31, 2017							December 31, 2016
(in thousands)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Community purchase options	$	9,533	$	—		$	9,533	$	4,738	$	—		$	4,738
Health care licenses	50,927		—			50,927		65,126		—			65,126
Trade names	27,800		(23,714		)	4,086		27,800		(21,135		)	6,665
Management contracts	11,360		(7,929		)	3,431		13,531		(7,053		)	6,478
Total	$	99,620	$	(31,643	)	$	67,977	$	111,195	$	(28,188	)	$	83,007