SUMMARIZED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING INFORMATION - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Revenues:
Rental income	$ 55,904	$ 55,297	$ 113,128	$ 110,609
Interest and other income	2,027	16,993	3,972	22,325
Resident fees and services	6,805	1,959	10,286	3,874
Total revenues	64,736	74,249	127,386	136,808
Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization	17,220	16,405	36,357	34,171
Interest	15,862	16,427	31,650	33,345
Operating expenses	4,407	1,440	6,827	2,852
General and administrative	11,149	4,636	18,022	9,350
Provision for doubtful accounts and loan losses	535	223	2,305	2,746
Impairment of real estate	0	0	0	29,811
Total expenses	49,173	39,131	95,161	112,275
Other income (expense):
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	0	(556)
Other income (expense)	941	2,400	3,070	2,400
Net gain (loss) on sales of real estate	4,032	(52)	4,032	(4,654)
Total other income (expense)	4,973	2,348	7,102	(2,810)
Income in subsidiary	0	0	0	0
Net income	20,536	37,466	39,327	21,723
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(16)	9	16	41
Net income attributable to Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.	20,520	37,475	39,343	21,764
Preferred stock dividends	(2,560)	(2,560)	(5,121)	(5,121)
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 17,960	$ 34,915	$ 34,222	$ 16,643
Net income attributable to common stockholders, per:
Basic common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.53	$ 0.52	$ 0.25
Diluted common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.53	$ 0.52	$ 0.25
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, basic (in shares)	65,438,739	65,303,057	65,396,146	65,274,845
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, diluted (in shares)	65,670,853	65,503,383	65,694,019	65,454,337
Elimination [Member]
Revenues:
Rental income	$ (1,194)	$ (591)	$ (1,978)	$ (1,162)
Interest and other income	(18)	(196)	(18)	(377)
Resident fees and services	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	(1,212)	(787)	(1,996)	(1,539)
Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Interest	0	(119)	0	(238)
Operating expenses	(1,212)	(603)	(1,996)	(1,173)
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts and loan losses	0	0	0	0
Impairment of real estate				0
Total expenses	(1,212)	(722)	(1,996)	(1,411)
Other income (expense):
Loss on extinguishment of debt				0
Other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Net gain (loss) on sales of real estate	0	0	0	0
Total other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Income in subsidiary	(74,403)	(92,241)	(136,445)	(86,545)
Net income	(74,403)	(92,306)	(136,445)	(86,673)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.	(74,403)	(92,306)	(136,445)	(86,673)
Preferred stock dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to common stockholders	(74,403)	(92,306)	(136,445)	(86,673)
Parent Company [Member]
Revenues:
Rental income	0	0	0	0
Interest and other income	6	1	13	2
Resident fees and services	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	6	1	13	2
Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization	216	201	432	384
Interest	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	9,853	3,713	15,770	8,187
Provision for doubtful accounts and loan losses	227	(888)	82	(655)
Impairment of real estate				0
Total expenses	10,296	3,026	16,284	7,916
Other income (expense):
Loss on extinguishment of debt				0
Other income (expense)	916	2,098	2,283	2,098
Net gain (loss) on sales of real estate	0	0	0	0
Total other income (expense)	916	2,098	2,283	2,098
Income in subsidiary	29,894	38,467	53,331	27,708
Net income	20,520	37,540	39,343	21,892
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.	20,520	37,540	39,343	21,892
Preferred stock dividends	(2,560)	(2,560)	(5,121)	(5,121)
Net income attributable to common stockholders	17,960	34,980	34,222	16,771
Issuers [Member]
Revenues:
Rental income	0	0	0	0
Interest and other income	0	119	0	238
Resident fees and services	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	119	0	238
Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Interest	13,516	13,720	26,924	28,023
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	17	12	32	22
Provision for doubtful accounts and loan losses	0	0	0	0
Impairment of real estate				0
Total expenses	13,533	13,732	26,956	28,045
Other income (expense):
Loss on extinguishment of debt				(468)
Other income (expense)	703	16	737	516
Net gain (loss) on sales of real estate	0	0	0	0
Total other income (expense)	703	16	737	48
Income in subsidiary	42,724	52,064	79,550	55,467
Net income	29,894	38,467	53,331	27,708
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.	29,894	38,467	53,331	27,708
Preferred stock dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to common stockholders	29,894	38,467	53,331	27,708
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Rental income	52,442	50,674	105,481	101,424
Interest and other income	2,039	17,004	3,977	22,335
Resident fees and services	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	54,481	67,678	109,458	123,759
Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization	15,425	14,620	32,381	30,634
Interest	715	1,114	1,445	2,132
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	1,222	849	2,019	1,029
Provision for doubtful accounts and loan losses	308	1,111	2,223	3,401
Impairment of real estate				29,811
Total expenses	17,670	17,694	38,068	67,007
Other income (expense):
Loss on extinguishment of debt				(88)
Other income (expense)	(665)	309	50	(141)
Net gain (loss) on sales of real estate	4,026	(52)	4,026	(4,654)
Total other income (expense)	3,361	257	4,076	(4,883)
Income in subsidiary	1,785	1,710	3,564	3,370
Net income	41,957	51,951	79,030	55,239
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.	41,957	51,951	79,030	55,239
Preferred stock dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to common stockholders	41,957	51,951	79,030	55,239
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Rental income	4,656	5,214	9,625	10,347
Interest and other income	0	65	0	127
Resident fees and services	6,805	1,959	10,286	3,874
Total revenues	11,461	7,238	19,911	14,348
Expenses:
Depreciation and amortization	1,579	1,584	3,544	3,153
Interest	1,631	1,712	3,281	3,428
Operating expenses	5,619	2,043	8,823	4,025
General and administrative	57	62	201	112
Provision for doubtful accounts and loan losses	0	0	0	0
Impairment of real estate				0
Total expenses	8,886	5,401	15,849	10,718
Other income (expense):
Loss on extinguishment of debt				0
Other income (expense)	(13)	(23)	0	(73)
Net gain (loss) on sales of real estate	6	0	6	0
Total other income (expense)	(7)	(23)	6	(73)
Income in subsidiary	0	0	0	0
Net income	2,568	1,814	4,068	3,557
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(16)	9	16	41
Net income attributable to Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.	2,552	1,823	4,084	3,598
Preferred stock dividends	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 2,552	$ 1,823	$ 4,084	$ 3,598