Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Supplemental cash flow information:
Interest paid, net of capitalized interest	$ 410,286us-gaap_InterestPaidNet	$ 412,011us-gaap_InterestPaidNet	$ 389,753us-gaap_InterestPaidNet
Income taxes paid	5,071us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet	114us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet	1,790us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet
Capitalized interest	10,314us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized	13,494us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized	23,360us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized
Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing activities:
Accrued construction costs	37,178	15,187	14,157
Loan originated in connection with Brookdale Transaction	67,640
Real estate contributed to CCRC-JV	91,603us-gaap_ContributionOfProperty
Fair value of real estate acquired in exchange for sale of real estate	32,000	15,204
Tenant funded tenant improvements owned by HCP	21,863hcp_NonCashTenantFundedImprovements
Reclassification of the in-place leases from real estate to DFLs		123,891
Supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities:
Vesting of restricted stock units	614hcp_RestrictedStockVested	471hcp_RestrictedStockVested	707hcp_RestrictedStockVested
Cancellation of restricted stock	1	20	8
Conversion of non-managing member units into common stock	473	3,583	24,988
Noncontrolling interest issued in connection with Brookdale Transaction	46,751
Noncontrolling interest issued in connection with real estate acquisition	6,321		42,734
Noncontrolling interest assumed in connection with real estate disposition	1,671
Mortgages and other liabilities assumed with real estate acquisitions	37,149	12,767	60,597
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(9,967)	47	249
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities and derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, net	$ 2,271	$ 7,790	$ 4,649

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Future cash outflow to pay for construction in progress expenditures that have occurred.

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Mortgage loan related to property sales in noncash investing and financing activities.

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Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments of gain (loss) on foreign currency translation adjustments, foreign currency transactions designated and effective as economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity and intra-entity foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature.

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Value of stock issued during the period upon the conversion of units. An example of a convertible unit is an umbrella partnership real estate investment trust unit (UPREIT unit).

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