Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2013 HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2012 HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior housing	Jun. 30, 2012 Senior housing	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior housing	Jun. 30, 2012 Senior housing	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living item	Jun. 30, 2012 Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living item	Jun. 30, 2012 Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living item	Jun. 30, 2013 Post-acute/skilled	Jun. 30, 2012 Post-acute/skilled	Jun. 30, 2013 Post-acute/skilled	Jun. 30, 2012 Post-acute/skilled	Jun. 30, 2013 Gross Assets Operators Emeritus	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2013 Gross Assets Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Gross Assets Operators HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Assets Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Gross Assets Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2013 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Gross Assets Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Assets Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Emeritus	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Sunrise Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Senior housing Brookdale Senior Living	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2013 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare	Jun. 30, 2012 Revenue Operators Post-acute/skilled HCR ManorCare
Concentration of Credit Risk
Concentration risk (as a percent)																										14.00%	13.00%	7.00%	7.00%	32.00%	31.00%	4.00%	4.00%	35.00%	35.00%	17.00%	17.00%	11.00%	11.00%	10.00%	11.00%	86.00%	89.00%	13.00%	7.00%	13.00%	7.00%	5.00%	5.00%	5.00%	5.00%	28.00%	31.00%	28.00%	31.00%	4.00%	5.00%	4.00%	5.00%	35.00%	23.00%	35.00%	21.00%	13.00%	17.00%	13.00%	16.00%	9.00%	13.00%	9.00%	12.00%	11.00%	16.00%	12.00%	14.00%	86.00%	93.00%	86.00%	93.00%
Concentration risk, assets																	$ 705,000,000		$ 705,000,000		$ 692,000,000
Concentration risk, revenue																	37,600,000	35,600,000	74,400,000	70,700,000
Number of senior living communities operated in a RIDEA structure																	21		21		21
Percentage of operator assets to segment assets after inclusion of assets under RIDEA structure																																								19.00%	20.00%
Percentage of operator assets to total entity assets after inclusion of assets under RIDEA structure																																8.00%	8.00%
Percentage of operator revenue to segment revenue after inclusion of revenue under RIDEA structure																																																																								31.00%	42.00%	31.00%	38.00%
Percentage of operator revenue to total entity revenue after inclusion of revenue under RIDEA structure																																																								12.00%	12.00%	11.00%	12.00%
Balance Sheets:
Real estate and other property, net	10,861,424,000		10,861,424,000		10,875,449,000			3,019,900,000		3,019,900,000		3,046,600,000
Cash and cash equivalents	53,114,000	169,636,000	53,114,000	169,636,000	247,673,000		33,506,000	161,500,000		161,500,000		120,500,000
Goodwill, intangible and other assets, net	810,316,000		810,316,000		788,520,000			5,566,900,000		5,566,900,000		5,625,400,000
Total assets	20,051,793,000		20,051,793,000		19,915,555,000	[1]		8,748,300,000		8,748,300,000		8,792,500,000
Debt and financing obligations								6,319,000,000		6,319,000,000		6,374,600,000
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other	313,627,000		313,627,000		293,994,000			1,011,800,000		1,011,800,000		1,021,900,000
Total equity	10,798,259,000	9,690,939,000	10,798,259,000	9,690,939,000	10,753,777,000		9,220,622,000	1,417,500,000		1,417,500,000		1,396,000,000
Total liabilities and equity	20,051,793,000		20,051,793,000		19,915,555,000			8,748,300,000		8,748,300,000		8,792,500,000
Income Statements:
Revenues	516,284,000	460,415,000	1,031,712,000	915,347,000				1,032,700,000	1,034,300,000	2,101,400,000	2,075,500,000		190,657,000	149,483,000	378,845,000	299,249,000						148,549,000	134,780,000	294,637,000	268,733,000
Operating, general and administrative expense								(876,900,000)	(897,500,000)	(1,789,300,000)	(1,782,900,000)
Depreciation and amortization expense	(110,686,000)	(84,873,000)	(215,314,000)	(170,062,000)				(36,400,000)	(41,600,000)	(73,700,000)	(83,600,000)
Interest expense	(108,716,000)	(102,354,000)	(218,006,000)	(206,044,000)				(104,100,000)	(105,800,000)	(208,500,000)	(212,100,000)
Other income (expense), net	3,240,000	1,028,000	15,303,000	1,462,000				(500,000)	3,100,000	1,700,000	6,400,000
Income (loss) before income taxes								14,800,000	(7,500,000)	31,600,000	3,300,000
Income taxes	(1,654,000)	(171,000)	(2,530,000)	541,000				(4,700,000)	4,600,000	(9,800,000)	100,000
Net income (loss)	216,725,000	204,975,000	450,509,000	401,539,000				10,100,000	(2,900,000)	21,800,000	3,400,000
Credit Enhancement Guarantee
Third party debt collateralized by facilities, debt amount (maturing in May 1, 2025)	114,000,000		114,000,000
Third party debt collateralized by facilities, asset carrying amount (maturing in May 1, 2025)	$ 377,000,000		$ 377,000,000

[1] The Company's consolidated total assets at December 31, 2012, include assets of certain variable interest entities ("VIEs") that can only be used to settle the liabilities of those VIEs as follows: accounts receivable, net, $2 million; cash and cash equivalents, $10 million; and other assets, net, $2 million. See Note 16 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.