Description of Business (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016 property tenant
Real estate properties
Number of real estate properties	1,300
Number of properties leased	549
Number of independent third party managed properties	33
Number of largest tenants \| tenant	3
Brookdale Senior Living
Real estate properties
Number of properties included in investments in unconsolidated entities	6
Number of properties included in investments in unconsolidated entities, pursuant to management agreement	1
Kindred
Real estate properties
Number of independent third party managed properties	68
Ardent
Real estate properties
Number of independent third party managed properties	10
Development projects
Real estate properties
Number of real estate properties	6
Number of properties included in investments in unconsolidated entities	1
Seniors Housing Communities
Real estate properties
Number of independent third party managed properties	299
Number of properties included in investments in unconsolidated entities, pursuant to management agreement	1
Medical Office Buildings \| Kindred
Real estate properties
Number of properties not leased	1

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

No definition available.

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- 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

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- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Number of Properties Included in Investments in Unconsolidated Entities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_NumberOfPropertiesIncludedInInvestmentsInUnconsolidatedEntities
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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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
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Largest Tenants

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Number of Properties Not Leased

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_NumberofPropertiesNotLeased
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	vtr_PropertySubjectToOperatingLeaseByLessorAxis=vtr_BrookdaleSeniorLivingMember
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Name:	vtr_PropertySubjectToOperatingLeaseByLessorAxis=vtr_KindredMember
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- Details

Name:	vtr_PropertySubjectToOperatingLeaseByLessorAxis=vtr_ArdentMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=vtr_DevelopementProjectsMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=vtr_SeniorsHousingCommunitiesMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=vtr_MedicalOfficeBuildingsMember
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