CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING INFORMATION - Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ 1,022,045	$ 919,972
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,254,565)	(1,236,170)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facility	(790,406)	(153,684)
Net cash impact of CCP Spin-Off	(128,749)	0
Proceeds from debt	2,511,061	2,007,707
Proceeds from debt related to CCP Spin-Off	1,400,000	0
Repayment of debt	(1,329,070)	(905,117)
Net change in intercompany debt	0	0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(3,819)	0
Payment of deferred financing costs	(23,893)	(14,946)
Issuance of common stock, net	417,818	0
Cash distribution (to) from affiliates	0	0
Cash distribution to common stockholders	(759,575)	(640,414)
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	(12,776)	(4,214)
Purchases of redeemable OP units	(33,188)	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(11,250)	(6,760)
Other	6,489	(551)
Net cash provided by financing activities	1,242,642	282,021
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	10,122	(34,177)
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	(239)	3,956
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	55,348	94,816
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	65,231	64,595
Ventas, Inc.
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(65,973)	(23,288)
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,096,837)	(1,073,979)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facility	0	0
Net cash impact of CCP Spin-Off	1,273,000
Proceeds from debt	0	0
Proceeds from debt related to CCP Spin-Off	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Net change in intercompany debt	1,451,362	959,820
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	0
Payment of deferred financing costs	0	0
Issuance of common stock, net	417,818
Cash distribution (to) from affiliates	(228,908)	775,066
Cash distribution to common stockholders	(759,575)	(640,414)
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	0	(4,214)
Purchases of redeemable OP units	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Other	6,489	2,569
Net cash provided by financing activities	2,160,186	1,092,827
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(2,624)	(4,440)
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	(8,324)	(4,586)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	24,857	28,169
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	13,909	19,143
Ventas Realty
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	2,984	67,829
Net cash used in investing activities	(15,731)	(4,080)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facility	(658,000)	(149,000)
Net cash impact of CCP Spin-Off	0
Proceeds from debt	2,292,568	696,661
Proceeds from debt related to CCP Spin-Off	0
Repayment of debt	(705,000)	0
Net change in intercompany debt	(946,310)	(351,059)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	0
Payment of deferred financing costs	(21,932)	(6,561)
Issuance of common stock, net	0
Cash distribution (to) from affiliates	51,421	(253,795)
Cash distribution to common stockholders	0	0
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	0	0
Purchases of redeemable OP units	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Other	0	5
Net cash provided by financing activities	12,747	(63,749)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0	0
Ownership percentage	100.00%
Ventas Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ 1,085,034	875,431
Net cash used in investing activities	(141,997)	(158,111)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facility	(132,406)	(4,684)
Net cash impact of CCP Spin-Off	(1,401,749)
Proceeds from debt	218,493	1,311,046
Proceeds from debt related to CCP Spin-Off	1,400,000
Repayment of debt	(624,070)	(905,117)
Net change in intercompany debt	(505,052)	(608,761)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	(3,819)
Payment of deferred financing costs	(1,961)	(8,385)
Issuance of common stock, net	0
Cash distribution (to) from affiliates	177,487	(521,271)
Cash distribution to common stockholders	0	0
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	(12,776)	0
Purchases of redeemable OP units	(33,188)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(11,250)	(6,760)
Other	0	(3,125)
Net cash provided by financing activities	(930,291)	(747,057)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	12,746	(29,737)
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	8,085	8,542
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	30,491	66,647
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	51,322	45,452
Consolidated Eliminations
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net change in borrowings under credit facility	0	0
Net cash impact of CCP Spin-Off	0
Proceeds from debt	0	0
Proceeds from debt related to CCP Spin-Off	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Net change in intercompany debt	0	0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	0
Payment of deferred financing costs	0	0
Issuance of common stock, net	0
Cash distribution (to) from affiliates	0	0
Cash distribution to common stockholders	0	0
Cash distribution to redeemable OP unitholders	0	0
Purchases of redeemable OP units	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Other	0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Effect of foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0	$ 0
Ventas Capital Corporation
Cash flows from financing activities:
Ownership percentage	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%