Name:	hcp_LeaseAmendmentsAndTerminationsAndJointVentureFormationsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Management Agreement, Agreements With Termination Rights Period

No definition available.

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

Management Agreement, Number of Agreements With Termination Rights

No definition available.

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

Management Agreement Termination Period

No definition available.

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

Represents number of assets sold or transited per definitive agreements.

No definition available.

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

Number Of Properties Potentially Sold Or Transitioned Out

No definition available.

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

Number Of Properties To Be Sold

No definition available.

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

Number Of Properties Under Management Agreement

No definition available.

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

Operating Lease, Number Of Properties With Rent Concessions

No definition available.

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

Operating Lease, Properties Potentially Sold Or Transitioned Out Term

No definition available.

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

Operating Lease, Rental Concessions

No definition available.

Name:	hcp_OperatingLeaseRentalConcessions
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Operating Leases, Lease Sale Or Transfer Allowable Period

No definition available.

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

Operating Management Fee, Annual Percent Fee Increase

No definition available.

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

Operating Management Fee, Percent Fee Increase Period

No definition available.

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

Ownership Interest In Properties

No definition available.

Name:	hcp_OwnershipInterestInProperties
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Total consideration, cash and noncash, received by seller for the sale of real estate.

No definition available.

Name:	hcp_TotalConsiderationForDispositionOfRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	hcp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of consideration transferred, consisting of acquisition-date fair value of assets transferred by the acquirer, liabilities incurred by the acquirer, and equity interest issued by the acquirer.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911251&loc=d3e6578-128477

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911251&loc=d3e6613-128477

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The cash outflow associated with the purchase of noncontrolling interest during the period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3213-108585

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireAdditionalInterestInSubsidiaries
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The cash inflow from the sale of property, plant and equipment (capital expenditures), software, and other intangible assets.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3179-108585

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfProductiveAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Cash received for the sale of real estate that is not part of an investing activity during the current period.

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

The percentage charged for managing real estate properties.

No definition available.

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

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=hcp_CcrcJvInvestmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=hcp_RIDEAFacilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_MajorPropertyClassAxis=us-gaap_AssetsLeasedToOthersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

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

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

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

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

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: