Description of Business (Details)	Dec. 31, 2015 property
Real estate properties
Number of real estate properties	1,300
Number of properties leased	607
Kindred
Real estate properties
Number of independent third party managed properties	76
Brookdale Senior Living
Real estate properties
Number of independent third party managed properties	140
Number of properties included in investments in unconsolidated entities	6
Number of properties included in investments in unconsolidated entities, pursuant to management agreement	1
Ardent
Real estate properties
Number of independent third party managed properties	10
Development projects
Real estate properties
Number of real estate properties	4
Number of properties included in investments in unconsolidated entities	2
Seniors Housing Communities
Real estate properties
Number of independent third party managed properties	304

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of properties that are managed by the independent third party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_NumberOfIndependentThirdPartyManagedProperties
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Properties Included in Investments in Unconsolidated Entities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_NumberOfPropertiesIncludedInInvestmentsInUnconsolidatedEntities
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number Of Properties Included In Investments In Unconsolidated Entities, Pursuant To Management Agreement

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_NumberOfPropertiesIncludedInInvestmentsInUnconsolidatedEntitiesPursuantToManagementAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of properties owned that are leased to unaffiliated tenants under triple-net lease terms.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_NumberOfPropertiesLeasedUnderTripleNetLeases
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	vtr_PropertySubjectToOperatingLeaseByLessorAxis=vtr_KindredMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	vtr_PropertySubjectToOperatingLeaseByLessorAxis=vtr_BrookdaleSeniorLivingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	vtr_PropertySubjectToOperatingLeaseByLessorAxis=vtr_ArdentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=vtr_DevelopementProjectsMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=vtr_SeniorsHousingCommunitiesMember
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Data Type:	na
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Period Type: