CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING INFORMATION - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets
Net real estate investments	$ 22,239,965	$ 19,907,187
Cash and cash equivalents	60,532	55,348	$ 86,635	$ 94,816
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	193,960	71,771
Deferred financing costs, net	68,284	60,328
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Other assets	1,712,421	1,131,537
Total assets	24,275,162	21,226,171
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	11,507,861	10,888,092
Intercompany loans	0	0
Accrued interest	77,631	62,097
Accounts payable and other liabilities	1,026,359	1,005,232
Deferred income taxes	370,161	344,337
Total liabilities	12,982,012	12,299,758
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	199,404	172,016
Total equity	11,093,746	8,754,397		8,903,811
Total liabilities and equity	24,275,162	21,226,171
Ventas, Inc.
Assets
Net real estate investments	6,101	6,404
Cash and cash equivalents	11,718	24,857	50,226	28,169
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	124,478	2,102
Deferred financing costs, net	759	759
Investment in and advances to affiliates	14,152,936	10,827,772
Other assets	60,255	102,646
Total assets	14,356,247	10,964,540
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	45,000	0
Intercompany loans	6,850,326	5,555,196
Accrued interest	0	0
Accounts payable and other liabilities	101,034	105,037
Deferred income taxes	370,161	344,337
Total liabilities	7,366,521	6,004,570
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	6,989,726	4,959,970
Total liabilities and equity	$ 14,356,247	10,964,540
Ventas Realty
Condensed financial statements, captions
Ownership percentage	100.00%
Assets
Net real estate investments	$ 344,952	347,583
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	$ 0	0
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	1,491	1,424
Deferred financing costs, net	57,902	50,669
Investment in and advances to affiliates	3,430,055	3,430,054
Other assets	9,185	57,123
Total assets	3,843,585	3,886,853
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	8,093,699	7,422,975
Intercompany loans	(6,274,138)	(5,562,739)
Accrued interest	57,809	43,212
Accounts payable and other liabilities	76,843	80,307
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total liabilities	1,954,213	1,983,755
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,889,372	1,903,098
Total liabilities and equity	$ 3,843,585	$ 3,886,853
Nationwide Health Properties
Condensed financial statements, captions
Ownership percentage	100.00%
Ventas Capital Corporation
Condensed financial statements, captions
Ownership percentage	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Ventas Subsidiaries
Assets
Net real estate investments	$ 21,888,912	$ 19,553,200
Cash and cash equivalents	48,814	30,491	$ 36,409	66,647
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	67,991	68,245
Deferred financing costs, net	9,623	8,900
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Other assets	1,642,981	971,768
Total assets	23,658,321	20,632,604
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	3,369,162	3,465,117
Intercompany loans	(576,188)	7,543
Accrued interest	19,822	18,885
Accounts payable and other liabilities	848,482	819,888
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total liabilities	3,661,278	4,311,433
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	199,404	172,016
Total equity	19,797,639	16,149,155
Total liabilities and equity	23,658,321	20,632,604
Consolidated Eliminations
Assets
Net real estate investments	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	0	0
Deferred financing costs, net	0	0
Investment in and advances to affiliates	(17,582,991)	(14,257,826)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(17,582,991)	(14,257,826)
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	0	0
Intercompany loans	0	0
Accrued interest	0	0
Accounts payable and other liabilities	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(17,582,991)	(14,257,826)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (17,582,991)	$ (14,257,826)