CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenue
Revenue	$ 4,057,088	$ 4,531,426	$ 4,747,116
Expense
General and administrative expense (including non-cash stock-based compensation expense of $23,026, $26,067 and $27,832, respectively)	219,289	259,475	278,019
Facility operating lease expense	269,666	303,294	339,721
Depreciation and amortization	379,433	447,455	482,077
Goodwill and asset impairment	49,266	489,893	409,782
Loss (gain) on facility lease termination and modification, net	3,388	162,001	14,276
Total operating expense	4,101,586	5,125,675	5,017,161
Income (loss) from operations	(44,498)	(594,249)	(270,045)
Interest income	9,859	9,846	4,623
Interest expense:
Debt	(177,718)	(188,505)	(172,635)
Financing lease obligations	66,353	83,604	140,664
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discount	(4,057)	(7,757)	(12,681)
Change in fair value of derivatives	(213)	(403)	(174)
Debt modification and extinguishment costs	(5,247)	(11,677)	(12,409)
Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated ventures	(4,544)	(8,804)	(14,827)
Gain (loss) on sale of assets, net	7,245	293,246	19,273
Other non-operating income (loss)	14,765	14,099	11,418
Income (loss) before income taxes	(270,761)	(577,808)	(588,121)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	2,269	49,456	16,515
Net income (loss)	(268,492)	(528,352)	(571,606)
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	561	94	187
Net income (loss) attributable to Brookdale Senior Living Inc. common stockholders	$ (267,931)	$ (528,258)	$ (571,419)
Basic and diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to Brookdale Senior Living Inc. common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (1.44)	$ (2.82)	$ (3.07)
Weighted average shares used in computing basic and diluted net loss per share (in shares)	185,907	187,468	186,155
Resident fees
Revenue
Revenue	$ 3,209,931	$ 3,449,211	$ 3,780,140
Management fees
Revenue
Revenue	57,108	71,986	75,845
Reimbursed costs incurred on behalf of managed communities
Revenue
Revenue	790,049	1,010,229	891,131
Expense
Costs incurred	790,049	1,010,229	891,131
Facility operating expense
Expense
Costs incurred	$ 2,390,495	$ 2,453,328	$ 2,602,155