Discontinued Operations, Ownership Interest Disposed

No definition available.

Name:	hcp_DiscontinuedOperationsOwnershipInterestDisposed
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of senior housing facilities owned by the entity and operated by the joint venture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The number of renewals available under the management agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_ManagementAgreementNumberOfRenewals
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the term of renewals of the agreement under which the Company receives management and accounting services.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_ManagementAgreementRenewalTerm
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the term of the agreement under which the Company receives management and accounting services.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_ManagementAgreementTerm
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the percentage of EBITDAR that is payable by the entity as base management fee.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hcp_ManagementFeePayableAsPercentageOfEbitdar
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents number of unconsolidated joint ventures between entity and an institutional capital partner.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 275
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84177426&loc=d3e6351-108592

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77997519&loc=d3e13531-108611

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 275
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84177426&loc=d3e6404-108592

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 21
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77997519&loc=d3e13537-108611

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=hcp_SeniorHousingOperatingPortfolioMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis=us-gaap_AssetsTotalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=hcp_SeniorHousingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis=hcp_ManagementAndAccountingServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=hcp_ManagementAndAccountingServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=hcp_HcpCpaBrookdaleJvMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=hcp_Ridea2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Concentration of Credit Risk - Narrative (Details)		12 Months Ended
Concentration of Credit Risk - Narrative (Details)	Nov. 01, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017 facility renewal	Dec. 31, 2016
Brookdale Senior Living \| SHOP \| Total Assets
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Concentration risk (as a percent)		13.00%	18.00%
Brookdale Senior Living \| Senior housing \| Management and Accounting Services
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Management agreement renewal term (in years)		5 years
Management and Accounting Services \| Brookdale Senior Living \| SHOP
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Number of unconsolidated joint ventures \| facility		62
Management and Accounting Services \| Brookdale Senior Living \| Senior housing
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Investments in Joint Ventures Senior Housing Facilities Number \| facility		78
Minimum \| Brookdale Senior Living
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Percentage of EDITDAR payable as base management fee		4.50%
Minimum \| Brookdale Senior Living \| Senior housing \| Management and Accounting Services
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Management Agreement Number of Renewals \| renewal		3
Minimum \| Management and Accounting Services \| Brookdale Senior Living \| Senior housing
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Management agreement term (in years)		10 years
Maximum \| Brookdale Senior Living
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Percentage of EDITDAR payable as base management fee		5.00%
Maximum \| Brookdale Senior Living \| Senior housing \| Management and Accounting Services
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Management Agreement Number of Renewals \| renewal		4
Maximum \| Management and Accounting Services \| Brookdale Senior Living \| Senior housing
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Management agreement term (in years)		15 years
HCP/CPA/Brookdale JV \| RIDEA II
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership interest disposed	40.00%