Mortgage And Other Notes Receivable Mortgage and Other Notes Receivable (Schedule of Bickford Construction Loans) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Loans and Leases Receivable, Commitments, Fixed Rates	$ 311,700,000
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	(257,481,000)	$ (246,111,000)
Bickford Note Investment [Member]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Commitments, Fixed Rates	56,700,000
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	$ (36,414,000)
July 2016 [Member] \| Bickford Note Investment [Member]
Note Receivable Interest Rate	9.00%
Loan Term	5 years
Loans and Leases Receivable, Commitments, Fixed Rates	$ 14,000,000
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	$ (13,047,000)
January 2017 [Member] \| Bickford Note Investment [Member]
Note Receivable Interest Rate	9.00%
Loan Term	5 years
Loans and Leases Receivable, Commitments, Fixed Rates	$ 14,000,000
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	$ (13,191,000)
January 2018 [Member] \| Bickford Note Investment [Member]
Note Receivable Interest Rate	9.00%
Loan Term	5 years
Loans and Leases Receivable, Commitments, Fixed Rates	$ 14,000,000
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	$ (6,134,000)
July 2018 [Member] \| Bickford Note Investment [Member]
Note Receivable Interest Rate	9.00%
Loan Term	5 years
Loans and Leases Receivable, Commitments, Fixed Rates	$ 14,700,000
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	$ (4,042,000)

The concept represents a total loan term in number of years

No definition available.

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- Definition

This concept reflects the interest rate to be received on a loan receivable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the amount of cash required to fully fund agreements to provide advances to borrowers and lessees at stated interest rates.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 825
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108315417&loc=d3e61044-112788

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 825
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108315417&loc=d3e61082-112788

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount after allowance and deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements and loans held for sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82891408&loc=d3e4428-111522

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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