Other Assets (Details)	12 Months Ended					0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Brookdale Senior Living USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2014 Delphis USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Delphis USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2012 Four Seasons USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2012 Four Seasons GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2014 HCP Ventures IV, LLC USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 HCP Ventures IV, LLC USD ($)
Other assets
Straight-line rent assets, net of allowance of $34,182 and $34,230, respectively	$ 355,864,000	$ 368,919,000
Allowance on straight-line rent assets	34,182,000	34,230,000
Marketable debt securities	231,442,000	244,089,000
Leasing costs, net	146,500,000	104,601,000
Deferred financing costs, net	47,592,000	42,106,000
Goodwill	50,346,000	50,346,000
Other	108,428,000	57,644,000
Total other assets	940,172,000	867,705,000
Net carrying value of interest accrued related to the Delphis loan				0	0
Reserve related to accrued interest receivable				5,400,000	5,400,000
Loans receivables	906,961,000	366,001,000	26,000,000					15,000,000	10,000,000
Loan receivable, interest rate payable (as a percent)						12.25%	12.25%	12.00%	12.00%
Number of installments			8
Realized gains on marketable debt securities sold	11,000,000
Marketable debt security, par value							138,500,000
Marketable debt security, par value, discounted						$ 215,000,000	£ 136,800,000
Yield to maturity (as a percent)						12.50%	12.50%