Discontinued Operations and Dispositions of Real Estate - Narrative: HCR ManorCare, Inc. (Details)			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 01, 2015 USD ($) facility	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 facility	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) facility	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) facility	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2015 USD ($)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Income from direct financing leases						$ 54,217,000	$ 59,580,000	$ 61,000,000
Net investment in direct financing leases						714,352,000	$ 752,589,000
Number of facility sales closed | facility							11
Estimated Sales price per agreement							$ 62,000,000
Number of properties for which sales contracts entered | facility							33
Maximum
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Federal and state built-in gain tax from assets sold									$ 2,000,000,000
HCRMC
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Impairments of investments in unconsolidated joint ventures								19,000,000
Equity method investments			$ 0	$ 0				0
Post-acute/skilled
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of facilities acquired | facility		9
Acquisition of facility		$ 275,000,000						$ 184,000,000
Post-acute/skilled nursing and senior housing
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of facility sales closed | facility								7
DFL Portfolio
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Income from direct financing leases						$ 13,000,000	$ 13,000,000	$ 15,000,000
HCRMC
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Income from direct financing leases							385,000,000	573,000,000
Cash payments received							$ 385,000,000	$ 483,000,000
Number of non-strategic assets involved in sales transaction | facility					50
Number of facility sales closed | facility								22
Estimated Sales price per agreement								$ 219,000,000
Reduction in initial net annual rent due to lease amendment		$ 68,000,000
Minimum rent escalation during the initial term (as a percent)		3.00%
Period of extension of initial term of lease		5 years
Average lease term		16 years
Deferred lease obligation		$ 525,000,000
Impairments of investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	$ 27,000,000
Carrying value, equity method investments before impairment	48,000,000
Fair value of equity investment	21,000,000
Federal and state built-in gain tax from assets sold, term									10 years
Period intended to hold the assets									10 years
Federal built-in gain tax from assets sold, federal term			5 years
Federal built-in gain tax from assets sold, state term			10 years
Period intended to sell the assets							5 years
State built-in gain from assets sold							$ 47,000,000
HCRMC | Post-acute/skilled
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of facilities acquired | facility								2
Acquisition of facility								$ 91,000,000
HCRMC | DFL Portfolio
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net investment in direct financing leases	$ 6,000,000,000	6,100,000,000	$ 5,200,000,000	5,200,000,000				$ 5,200,000,000		$ 6,600,000,000
Impairment charges for direct financing lease		$ 478,000,000		$ 817,000,000