Condensed Consolidating Information (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Assets
Net real estate investments	$ 22,478,721	$ 20,637,904
Cash and cash equivalents	106,363	72,277
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	39,739	59,187
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Goodwill	1,051,161	1,050,548
Assets held for sale	91,433	5,454
Deferred income tax assets, net	47,495	0
Other assets	877,296	759,185
Total assets	24,692,208	22,584,555
Senior notes payable and other debt	12,158,773	10,733,699
Liabilities:
Senior notes payable and other debt	12,158,773	10,733,699
Intercompany loans	0	0
Accrued interest	111,115	99,667
Operating lease liabilities	251,196	0
Accounts payable and other liabilities	1,145,700	1,086,030
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	5,463	205
Deferred income tax liabilities, net		205,219
Deferred income tax liabilities	200,831
Liabilities	13,873,078	12,124,820
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	273,678	188,141
Total equity	10,545,452	10,271,594	$ 10,932,185	$ 10,528,753
Total liabilities and equity	24,692,208	22,584,555
Consolidated Elimination
Assets
Net real estate investments	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	0	0
Investment in and advances to affiliates	(18,503,007)	(18,382,790)
Goodwill	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Deferred income tax assets, net	0
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(18,503,007)	(18,382,790)
Senior notes payable and other debt	0	0
Liabilities:
Intercompany loans	0	0
Accrued interest	0	0
Operating lease liabilities	0
Accounts payable and other liabilities	0	0
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities, net		0
Deferred income tax liabilities	0
Liabilities	0	0
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(18,503,007)	(18,382,790)
Total liabilities and equity	(18,503,007)	(18,382,790)
Ventas, Inc.
Assets
Net real estate investments	14,714	3,598
Cash and cash equivalents	1,904	6,470
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	1,205	4,211
Investment in and advances to affiliates	15,774,897	15,656,592
Goodwill	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Deferred income tax assets, net	0
Other assets	83,190	45,989
Total assets	15,875,910	15,716,860
Senior notes payable and other debt	0	0
Liabilities:
Intercompany loans	8,789,600	8,580,896
Accrued interest	(14,522)	(9,953)
Operating lease liabilities	14,498
Accounts payable and other liabilities	342,828	319,753
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities, net		608
Deferred income tax liabilities	1,329
Liabilities	9,133,733	8,891,304
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	102,657	13,746
Total equity	6,639,520	6,811,810
Total liabilities and equity	15,875,910	15,716,860
Ventas Realty
Assets
Net real estate investments	108,533	112,691
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	128	128
Investment in and advances to affiliates	2,728,110	2,726,198
Goodwill	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Deferred income tax assets, net	0
Other assets	1,499	4,443
Total assets	2,838,270	2,843,460
Senior notes payable and other debt	8,352,384	8,620,867
Liabilities:
Intercompany loans	(5,105,070)	(5,629,764)
Accrued interest	94,874	85,717
Operating lease liabilities	519
Accounts payable and other liabilities	20,360	19,178
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities, net		0
Deferred income tax liabilities	0
Liabilities	3,363,067	3,095,998
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(524,797)	(252,538)
Total liabilities and equity	2,838,270	2,843,460
Ventas Subsidiaries
Assets
Net real estate investments	22,355,474	20,521,615
Cash and cash equivalents	104,459	65,807
Escrow deposits and restricted cash	38,406	54,848
Investment in and advances to affiliates	0	0
Goodwill	1,051,161	1,050,548
Assets held for sale	91,433	5,454
Deferred income tax assets, net	47,495
Other assets	792,607	708,753
Total assets	24,481,035	22,407,025
Senior notes payable and other debt	3,806,389	2,112,832
Liabilities:
Intercompany loans	(3,684,530)	(2,951,132)
Accrued interest	30,763	23,903
Operating lease liabilities	236,179
Accounts payable and other liabilities	782,512	747,099
Liabilities related to assets held for sale	5,463	205
Deferred income tax liabilities, net		204,611
Deferred income tax liabilities	199,502
Liabilities	1,376,278	137,518
Redeemable OP unitholder and noncontrolling interests	171,021	174,395
Total equity	22,933,736	22,095,112
Total liabilities and equity	$ 24,481,035	$ 22,407,025