CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Total Ventas Stockholders’ Equity	Common Stock Par Value	Capital in Excess of Par Value	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Retained Earnings (Deficit)	Treasury Stock	Non- controlling Interests
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 9,625,427	$ 9,564,327	$ 83,579	$ 11,602,838	$ (7,565)	$ (2,111,958)	$ (2,567)	$ 61,100
Increase (decrease) in shareholders' equity
Net income	651,490	649,231	0	0	0	649,231	0	2,259
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(49,969)	(49,969)	0	0	(49,969)	0	0	0
Impact of CCP Spin-Off	640	640	0	640	0	0	0	0
Net change in noncontrolling interests	16,829	(2,179)	0	(2,179)	0	0	0	19,008
Dividends to common stockholders	(1,024,968)	(1,024,968)	0	0	0	(1,024,968)	0	0
Issuance of common stock	1,286,680	1,286,680	4,716	1,281,947	0	0	17	0
Issuance of common stock for stock plans	29,265	29,265	99	26,594	0	0	2,572	0
Change in redeemable noncontrolling interests	(15,568)	(1,714)	0	(1,714)	0	0	0	(13,854)
Adjust redeemable OP Unitholder Interests to current fair value	(21,085)	(21,085)	0	(21,085)	0	0	0	0
Redemption of OP and Class C Units	23,812	23,812	92	22,622	0	0	1,098	0
Grant of restricted stock, net of forfeitures	6,200	6,200	28	7,339	0	0	(1,167)	0
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	10,528,753	10,460,240	88,514	12,917,002	(57,534)	(2,487,695)	(47)	68,513
Increase (decrease) in shareholders' equity
Net income	1,361,112	1,356,470	0	0	0	1,356,470	0	4,642
Other comprehensive income (loss)	22,414	22,414	0	0	22,414	0	0	0
Impact of CCP Spin-Off	107	107	0	107	0	0	0	0
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(14,719)	(1,427)	0	(1,427)	0	0	0	(13,292)
Dividends to common stockholders	(1,109,473)	(1,109,473)	0	0	0	(1,109,473)	0	0
Issuance of common stock	73,447	73,447	276	72,618	0	0	553	0
Issuance of common stock for stock plans	22,606	22,606	87	21,723	0	0	796	0
Change in redeemable noncontrolling interests	5,246	(850)	0	(850)	0	0	0	6,096
Adjust redeemable OP Unitholder Interests to current fair value	253	253	0	253	0	0	0	0
Redemption of OP and Class C Units	23,136	23,136	84	19,845	0	0	3,207	0
Grant of restricted stock, net of forfeitures	19,303	19,303	68	23,786	0	0	(4,551)	0
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	10,932,185	10,866,226	89,029	13,053,057	(35,120)	(2,240,698)	(42)	65,959
Increase (decrease) in shareholders' equity
Cumulative effect of new accounting principle in period of adoption	30,643	30,643	0	0	0	30,643	0	0
Net income	415,981	409,467	0	0	0	409,467	0	6,514
Other comprehensive income (loss)	15,538	15,538	0	0	15,538	0	0	0
Net change in noncontrolling interests	(24,206)	(7,470)	0	(7,470)	0	0	0	(16,736)
Dividends to common stockholders	(1,129,626)	(1,129,626)	0	0	0	(1,129,626)	0	0
Issuance of common stock for stock plans and other	12,909	12,909	49	11,542	0	0	1,318	0
Adjust redeemable OP Unitholder Interests to current fair value	(3,323)	(3,323)	0	(3,323)	0	0	0	0
Redemption of OP and Class C Units	(128)	(128)	3	(383)	0	0	252	0
Grant of restricted stock, net of forfeitures	21,621	21,621	44	23,105	0	0	(1,528)	0
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 10,271,594	$ 10,215,857	$ 89,125	$ 13,076,528	$ (19,582)	$ (2,930,214)	$ 0	$ 55,737