Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net real estate	$ 1,538,915	$ 1,163,488
Cash and cash equivalents	15,834	50,764	12,232	17,876
Deferred finance costs, net	17,651	16,643
Other assets	15,805	15,625
Total assets	1,677,488	1,330,433
Secured loan	13,478	13,654
Unsecured loan	652,410	652,752
Line of credit	175,000	20,000
Accrued interest payable	10,903	15,284
Dividends and distributions payable	21,078	17,694
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	11,894	10,555
Tenant security and escrow deposits	24,066	21,586
Other liabilities	10,419	10,463
Total liabilities	919,248	761,988
Total liabilities and equity	1,677,488	1,330,433
Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net real estate	1,538,915	1,163,488
Cash and cash equivalents	15,834	50,764	12,232	17,876
Deferred finance costs, net	17,651	16,643
Other assets	105,088	99,538
Total assets	1,677,488	1,330,433
Secured loan	13,478	13,654
Unsecured loan	652,410	652,752
Line of credit	175,000	20,000
Accrued interest payable	10,903	15,284
Dividends and distributions payable	21,078	17,694
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	11,894	10,555
Tenant security and escrow deposits	24,066	21,586
Other liabilities	10,419	10,463
Total liabilities	919,248	761,988
Total partners' capital	758,240	568,445
Total liabilities and equity	1,677,488	1,330,433
Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership | Issuers
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net real estate	49	55
Cash and cash equivalents	14,689	50,709	11,582	16,869
Deferred finance costs, net	17,637	12,681
Other assets	27,042	25,260
Investment in and due from related parties, net	1,560,447	1,168,729
Total assets	1,619,864	1,257,434
Unsecured loan	652,410	652,752
Line of credit	175,000
Accrued interest payable	10,857	14,750
Dividends and distributions payable	21,078	17,694
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	987	2,082
Tenant security and escrow deposits	140	765
Other liabilities	1,152	946
Total liabilities	861,624	688,989
Total partners' capital	758,240	568,445
Total liabilities and equity	1,619,864	1,257,434
Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership | Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net real estate	1,523,158	1,148,057
Cash and cash equivalents	637	(714)	(2,566)	(1,861)
Deferred finance costs, net		3,948
Other assets	75,088	71,372
Total assets	1,598,883	1,222,663
Line of credit		20,000
Accrued interest payable		487
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	10,885	8,473
Tenant security and escrow deposits	23,684	20,572
Other liabilities	9,267	9,517
Total liabilities	43,836	59,049
Total partners' capital	1,555,047	1,163,614
Total liabilities and equity	1,598,883	1,222,663
Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net real estate	15,708	15,376
Cash and cash equivalents	508	769	874	526
Deferred finance costs, net	14	14
Other assets	2,958	2,906
Total assets	19,188	19,065
Secured loan	13,478	13,654
Accrued interest payable	46	47
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	22
Tenant security and escrow deposits	242	249
Total liabilities	13,788	13,950
Total partners' capital	5,400	5,115
Total liabilities and equity	19,188	19,065
Eliminations | Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Investment in and due from related parties, net	(1,560,447)	(1,168,729)
Total assets	(1,560,447)	(1,168,729)
Total partners' capital	(1,560,447)	(1,168,729)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (1,560,447)	$ (1,168,729)