Carrying value of properties contributed to joint venture.

No definition available.

Name:	hcp_CarryingValueOfPropertiesContributedToJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt related to retirement communities or properties contributed to joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_DebtRelatedToRetirementCommunitiesOrPropertiesContributedToJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	hcp_JointVentureDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount of investment in strategic joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_JointVentureInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the ownership percentage in joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_JointVentureOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	hcp_LeaseAmendmentsAndTerminationsAndJointVentureFormationsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of properties contributed to joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_NumberOfPropertiesContributedToJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of properties intended to be acquired in future

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_NumberOfPropertiesIntendedToBeAcquiredByJointVentureInFuture
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Properties to be leased.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_NumberOfPropertiesToBeLeased
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of properties to be owned directly.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_NumberOfPropertiesToBeOwnedDirectly
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of continuing care retirement communities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_NumberOfRetirementCommunities
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of retirement communities contributed to joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_NumberOfRetirementCommunitiesContributedToJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of retirement communities or properties contributed to joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_RetirementCommunitiesOrPropertiesContributedToJointVentureFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the purchase of real estate held-for-investment and real estate joint ventures.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireRealEstateAndRealEstateJointVentures
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=hcp_CCRCJVMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=hcp_BrookdaleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Lease Amendments and Terminations and RIDEA Joint Ventures - Continuing Care (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Aug. 29, 2014
Lease Amendments And Terminations And Joint Venture Formations [Line Items]
Joint Venture Ownership Percentage		49.00%hcp_JointVentureOwnershipPercentage
Joint Venture Disclosures [Abstract]
Number of properties contributed to joint venture		48
Cash paid	$ 1,701,410,000
Brookdale Senior Living
Lease Amendments And Terminations And Joint Venture Formations [Line Items]
Joint Venture Ownership Percentage		20.00%
Brookdale Senior Living \| RIDEA JV
Lease Amendments And Terminations And Joint Venture Formations [Line Items]
Investment in strategic joint venture				47,000,000
CCRC JV
Lease Amendments And Terminations And Joint Venture Formations [Line Items]
Number of retirement communities				14
Joint Venture Disclosures [Abstract]
Number of retirement communities contributed to joint venture				2
Fair value of retirement communities or properties contributed				162,000,000
Debt related to retirement communities or properties contributed				569,000,000
Carrying value of properties contributed				92,000,000
Cash paid		$ 370,000,000	$ 370,000,000
CCRC JV \| Brookdale Senior Living
Lease Amendments And Terminations And Joint Venture Formations [Line Items]
Joint Venture Ownership Percentage		51.00%
Joint Venture Disclosures [Abstract]
Number of retirement communities contributed to joint venture				8
Number of properties contributed to joint venture				3
Number of properties intended to be acquired in future				4
CCRC JV \| CCRCJV Prop Co \| Brookdale Senior Living
Lease Amendments And Terminations And Joint Venture Formations [Line Items]
Number of properties to be leased		8
CCRC JV \| CCRCJV Op Co \| Brookdale Senior Living
Lease Amendments And Terminations And Joint Venture Formations [Line Items]
Number of properties to be owned directly		6