LITIGATION (Details) (Litigation Relating to the Cogdell Acquisition)	0 Months Ended
Dec. 27, 2011 jurisdiction lawsuit
Litigation Relating to the Cogdell Acquisition
Loss contingencies
Number of lawsuits filed	7
Loss Contingencies, Number of Jurisdictions Lawsuits Filed	2

The number of jurisdictions where lawsuits were filed.

No definition available.

Name:	vtr_LossContingenciesNumberOfJurisdictionsLawsuitsFiled
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration