CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenue
Resident fees	$ 3,780,140	$ 4,168,621	$ 4,177,127
Management fees	75,845	70,762	60,183
Reimbursed costs incurred on behalf of managed communities	891,131	737,597	723,298
Total revenue	4,747,116	4,976,980	4,960,608
Expense
Facility operating expense (excluding depreciation and amortization of $430,288, $469,388 and $684,448, respectively)	2,602,155	2,799,402	2,788,862
General and administrative expense (including non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $27,832, $32,285 and $31,651, respectively)	255,446	313,409	370,579
Transaction costs	22,573	3,990	8,252
Facility lease expense	339,721	373,635	367,574
Depreciation and amortization	482,077	520,402	733,165
Goodwill and asset impairment	409,782	248,515	57,941
Loss on facility lease termination	14,276	11,113	76,143
Costs incurred on behalf of managed communities	891,131	737,597	723,298
Total operating expense	5,017,161	5,008,063	5,125,814
Income (loss) from operations	(270,045)	(31,083)	(165,206)
Interest income	4,623	2,933	1,603
Interest expense:
Debt	(172,635)	(174,027)	(173,484)
Capital and financing lease obligations	(140,664)	(202,012)	(211,132)
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt premium (discount)	(12,681)	(9,400)	(3,351)
Change in fair value of derivatives	(174)	(178)	(797)
Debt modification and extinguishment costs	(12,409)	(9,170)	(7,020)
Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated ventures	(14,827)	1,660	(804)
Gain on sale of assets, net	19,273	7,218	1,270
Other non-operating income	11,418	14,801	8,557
Income (loss) before income taxes	(588,121)	(399,258)	(550,364)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	16,515	(5,378)	92,209
Net income (loss)	(571,606)	(404,636)	(458,155)
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	187	239	678
Net income (loss) attributable to Brookdale Senior Living Inc. common stockholders	$ (571,419)	$ (404,397)	$ (457,477)
Basic and diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to Brookdale Senior Living Inc. common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (3.07)	$ (2.18)	$ (2.48)
Weighted average shares used in computing basic and diluted net loss per share (in shares)	186,155	185,653	184,333