Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flow (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ 70,088	$ 36,395
Investing activities
Purchase of real estate	(368,870)	(38,076)
Proceeds from sales of real estate, net	1,337	4,842
Capital improvements	(10,293)	(9,909)
Development projects	(30,316)	(14,380)
Loan receivables received from others	7,613	3,222
Loan receivables funded to others	(12,410)	(2,707)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(412,939)	(57,008)
Financing activities
Borrowings of debt	283,000	160,000
Repayment of debt	(128,117)	(353,203)
Payment of financing costs	(4,588)	(5,290)
Capital contributions	60	425
Cost of raising capital	(10,551)	(25,380)
Units issued for settlement of vested stock and exercised unit options, net	3,053
Cash distributions to partners	(12,449)	(16,276)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	307,921	14,969
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(34,930)	(5,644)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning of period	50,764	17,876
End of period	15,834	12,232
Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	70,088	36,395
Investing activities
Purchase of real estate	(368,870)	(38,076)
Proceeds from sales of real estate, net	1,337	4,842
Capital improvements	(10,293)	(9,909)
Development projects	(30,316)	(14,380)
Loan receivables received from others	7,613	3,222
Loan receivables funded to others	(12,410)	(2,707)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(412,939)	(57,008)
Financing activities
Borrowings of debt	283,000	160,000
Repayment of debt	(128,117)	(353,203)
Payment of financing costs	(4,588)	(5,290)
Capital contributions	60	425
Initial public offering proceeds	221,720	303,600
Cost of raising capital	(10,551)	(25,380)
Units issued for settlement of vested stock and exercised unit options, net	3,053
Cash distributions to partners	(56,646)	(65,183)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	307,921	14,969
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(34,930)	(5,644)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning of period	50,764	17,876
End of period	15,834	12,232
Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership | Issuers
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(358,512)	(220,414)
Investing activities
Capital improvements		(6)
Loan receivables received from others	2,102	2,041
Loan receivables funded to others	(7,648)	(370)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(5,546)	1,665
Financing activities
Borrowings of debt	185,000
Repayment of debt	(10,000)
Payment of financing costs	(4,588)
Capital contributions	60	425
Initial public offering proceeds	221,720	303,600
Cost of raising capital	(10,551)	(25,380)
Units issued for settlement of vested stock and exercised unit options, net	3,053
Cash distributions to partners	(56,656)	(65,183)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	328,038	213,462
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(36,020)	(5,287)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning of period	50,709	16,869
End of period	14,689	11,582
Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership | Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	428,124	259,381
Investing activities
Purchase of real estate	(368,870)	(38,076)
Proceeds from sales of real estate, net	1,337	1,772
Capital improvements	(9,673)	(9,865)
Development projects	(30,316)	(14,380)
Loan receivables received from others	5,511	1,181
Loan receivables funded to others	(4,762)	(2,387)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(406,773)	(61,705)
Financing activities
Borrowings of debt	98,000	160,000
Repayment of debt	(118,000)	(353,091)
Payment of financing costs		(5,290)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(20,000)	(198,381)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	1,351	(705)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning of period	(714)	(1,861)
End of period	637	(2,566)
Aviv Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	476	(2,572)
Investing activities
Proceeds from sales of real estate, net		3,070
Capital improvements	(620)	(38)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(620)	3,032
Financing activities
Repayment of debt	(117)	(112)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(117)	(112)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(261)	348
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning of period	769	526
End of period	$ 508	$ 874