CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common stock:	Additional paid-in-capital:	Treasury stock:	Accumulated deficit:	Noncontrolling interest:
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 699,623	$ 1,975	$ 4,208,675	$ (102,774)	$ (3,410,474)	$ 2,221
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Restricted stock and restricted stock units, net		9	(9)
Shares withheld for employee taxes		(6)	(4,276)
Compensation expense related to restricted stock grants			10,907
Net income (loss) attributable to Brookdale Senior Living Inc. common stockholders	(212,790)				(212,790)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(212,689)					101
Noncontrolling interest distribution						(760)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2022	492,799	$ 1,978	4,215,297	(102,774)	(3,623,264)	1,562
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021		186,958,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Restricted stock and restricted stock units, net (in shares)		915,000
Shares withheld for employee taxes (in shares)		(617,000)
Balances at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2022		187,256,000
Balance at beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2022	518,567	$ 1,978	4,211,931	(102,774)	(3,594,905)	2,337
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Shares withheld for employee taxes			(37)
Compensation expense related to restricted stock grants			3,403
Net income (loss) attributable to Brookdale Senior Living Inc. common stockholders	(28,359)				(28,359)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(28,374)					(15)
Noncontrolling interest distribution						(760)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2022	492,799	$ 1,978	4,215,297	(102,774)	(3,623,264)	1,562
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2022		187,256,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Restricted stock and restricted stock units, net (in shares)		8,000
Shares withheld for employee taxes (in shares)		(8,000)
Balances at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2022		187,256,000
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2022	584,153	$ 1,978	4,332,302	(102,774)	(3,648,901)	1,548
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Restricted stock and restricted stock units, net		16	(16)
Shares withheld for employee taxes		(6)	(1,874)
Compensation expense related to restricted stock grants			8,966
Net income (loss) attributable to Brookdale Senior Living Inc. common stockholders	(97,855)				(97,855)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(97,900)					(45)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2023	$ 493,339	$ 1,988	4,339,378	(102,774)	(3,746,756)	1,503
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2022	187,249,466	187,249,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Restricted stock and restricted stock units, net (in shares)		1,561,000
Shares withheld for employee taxes (in shares)		(570,000)
Balances at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2023	188,240,191	188,240,000
Balance at beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2023	$ 539,276	$ 1,988	4,336,504	(102,774)	(3,697,960)	1,518
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Shares withheld for employee taxes			(19)
Compensation expense related to restricted stock grants			2,893
Net income (loss) attributable to Brookdale Senior Living Inc. common stockholders	(48,796)				(48,796)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(48,811)					(15)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2023	$ 493,339	$ 1,988	$ 4,339,378	$ (102,774)	$ (3,746,756)	$ 1,503
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2023		188,235,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Restricted stock and restricted stock units, net (in shares)		10,000
Shares withheld for employee taxes (in shares)		(5,000)
Balances at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2023	188,240,191	188,240,000