Segment Disclosures - Summary Information for the Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		$ 473,837,000	$ 502,428,000
HCP's share of earnings		3,269,000	(908,000)
Operating expenses		(159,081,000)	(175,957,000)
Segment NOI		333,908,000	338,830,000
Adjustments to NOI		(568,000)	(2,450,000)
Adjusted NOI		333,340,000	336,380,000
Addback adjustments		568,000	2,450,000
Interest income		18,331,000	18,029,000
Interest expense		(86,718,000)	(122,062,000)
Depreciation and amortization		(136,554,000)	(139,855,000)
General and administrative		(22,478,000)	(25,451,000)
Acquisition and pursuit costs		(1,057,000)	(2,475,000)
Gain on sales of real estate, net		317,258,000
Other income, net		51,208,000	1,292,000
Income tax expense		6,162,000	(3,704,000)
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated joint venture NOI		(19,152,000)	(12,359,000)
Equity income in unconsolidated JVs		3,269,000	(908,000)
Discontinued operations			68,408,000
Net income		464,177,000	119,745,000
Corporate and other assets
Segment reporting information, revenues
Interest expense		(79,265,000)	(105,411,000)
General and administrative		(22,478,000)	(25,451,000)
Acquisition and pursuit costs		(1,057,000)	(2,475,000)
Other income, net		51,208,000	1,292,000
Income tax expense		6,162,000	(3,704,000)
Discontinued operations			68,408,000
Net income		(45,430,000)	(67,341,000)
Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information, revenues
Operating expenses		(60,059,000)	(42,614,000)
Parent Company
Segment reporting information, revenues
HCP's share of earnings		79,211,000	54,973,000
SH NNN
Segment reporting information, revenues
Intersegment sales or transfers		1		$ 17
SH NNN | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		100,034,000	106,889,000
Operating expenses		(1,111,000)	(2,074,000)
Segment NOI		98,923,000	104,815,000
Adjustments to NOI		(1,839,000)	(5,443,000)
Adjusted NOI		97,084,000	99,372,000
Addback adjustments		1,839,000	5,443,000
Interest expense		(627,000)	(4,166,000)
Depreciation and amortization		(26,411,000)	(33,506,000)
Gain on sales of real estate, net		268,464,000
Net income		340,349,000	67,143,000
SHOP | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		140,228,000	165,763,000
Operating expenses		(94,539,000)	(114,003,000)
Segment NOI		62,526,000	61,949,000
Adjustments to NOI		3,508,000	5,032,000
Adjusted NOI		66,034,000	66,981,000
Addback adjustments		(3,508,000)	(5,032,000)
Interest expense		(4,596,000)	(7,855,000)
Depreciation and amortization		(26,358,000)	(26,297,000)
Gain on sales of real estate, net		366,000
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated joint venture NOI		(16,837,000)	(10,189,000)
Equity income in unconsolidated JVs		1,993,000	(2,478,000)
Net income		17,094,000	15,130,000
SHOP | Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information, revenues
Operating expenses		(59,527,000)	(42,088,000)
SHOP | Parent Company | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
HCP's share of earnings		76,364,000	52,277,000
Life science
Segment reporting information, revenues
Gain on sales of real estate, net	$ 45,000,000
Life science | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		85,321,000	88,948,000
Operating expenses		(17,319,000)	(16,743,000)
Segment NOI		69,571,000	73,641,000
Adjustments to NOI		(256,000)	(673,000)
Adjusted NOI		69,315,000	72,968,000
Addback adjustments		256,000	673,000
Interest expense		(104,000)	(638,000)
Depreciation and amortization		(33,791,000)	(33,596,000)
Gain on sales of real estate, net		44,633,000
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated joint venture NOI		(1,569,000)	(1,436,000)
Equity income in unconsolidated JVs		770,000	709,000
Net income		79,510,000	38,680,000
Life science | Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information, revenues
Operating expenses		(371,000)	(374,000)
Life science | Parent Company | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
HCP's share of earnings		1,940,000	1,810,000
Medical office | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		118,371,000	108,023,000
Operating expenses		(44,864,000)	(41,949,000)
Segment NOI		73,854,000	66,404,000
Adjustments to NOI		(969,000)	(795,000)
Adjusted NOI		72,885,000	65,609,000
Addback adjustments		969,000	795,000
Interest expense		(129,000)	(1,665,000)
Depreciation and amortization		(42,729,000)	(38,719,000)
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated joint venture NOI		(347,000)	(330,000)
Equity income in unconsolidated JVs		269,000	658,000
Net income		30,918,000	26,348,000
Medical office | Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information, revenues
Operating expenses		(142,000)	(149,000)
Medical office | Parent Company | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
HCP's share of earnings		489,000	479,000
Other Non-reportable segments | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
Rental Revenues		29,883,000	32,805,000
Operating expenses		(1,248,000)	(1,188,000)
Segment NOI		29,034,000	32,021,000
Adjustments to NOI		(1,012,000)	(571,000)
Adjusted NOI		28,022,000	31,450,000
Addback adjustments		1,012,000	571,000
Interest income		18,331,000	18,029,000
Interest expense		(1,997,000)	(2,327,000)
Depreciation and amortization		(7,265,000)	(7,737,000)
Gain on sales of real estate, net		3,795,000
Less: HCP share of unconsolidated joint venture NOI		(399,000)	(404,000)
Equity income in unconsolidated JVs		237,000	203,000
Net income		41,736,000	39,785,000
Other Non-reportable segments | Intersegment Eliminations
Segment reporting information, revenues
Operating expenses		(19,000)	(3,000)
Other Non-reportable segments | Parent Company | Operating segment
Segment reporting information, revenues
HCP's share of earnings		$ 418,000	$ 407,000