Real Estate Investments - Mortgage Loans (Details) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) loan state item property $ / item	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Mortgage Loans
Scheduled principal payments received	$ 17,339	$ 1,598
Mortgage Loans
Mortgage Loans
Origination/Funding	7,829	17,128
Payoffs	16,665	645
Scheduled principal payments received	$ 674	$ 953
Mortgage Loans \| Minimum
Mortgage Loans
Interest rate for mortgage loan (as a percent)	9.40%
General amortization schedule of mortgage loans	20 years
Specified basis points for annual increase in interest rate (as a percent)	0.10%
Mortgage Loans \| Maximum
Mortgage Loans
Interest rate for mortgage loan (as a percent)	11.20%
General amortization schedule of mortgage loans	30 years
Specified basis points for annual increase in interest rate (as a percent)	0.25%
SNF \| Mortgage Loans
Mortgage Loans
Gross Investments	$ 222,604
Number of Loans \| loan	5
Number of properties \| property	21
Investment per Bed/Unit \| $ / item	79.62
Number of states \| state	2
Number of operators \| state	2
SNF Beds \| SNF \| Mortgage Loans
Mortgage Loans
Number of beds/units \| item	2,796

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the amount of loan commitments of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Represents the amortization period of mortgage loan on real estate properties.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the basis points specified for an increase in annual interest rate on mortgage loan receivable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the proceeds received from the payoff of a mortgage loan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Represents the number of operators associated with certain investments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of states in which the entity has invested.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ltc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the per unit investment in real estate held solely for investment purposes.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	us-types:perUnitItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The stated interest rate on the mortgage loan receivable or the weighted average interest rate on a group of loans.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 310
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-29)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6589523&loc=d3e617274-123014

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-04.(c) Schedule IV)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27047687&loc=d3e5864-122674

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Indicates the number of mortgages under each classification.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 310
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-29.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6589523&loc=d3e617274-123014

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-04.(c) Schedule IV)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27047687&loc=d3e5864-122674

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of units in a real estate property owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow from proceeds from sale of receivables arising from the mortgage note on real estate; includes collections on mortgage notes receivable that are not classified as operating cash flows.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3179-108585

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- Definition

Amount of real estate investment property which may include the following: (1) land available-for-sale; (2) land available-for-development; (3) investments in building and building improvements; (4) tenant allowances; (5) developments in-process; (6) rental properties; and (7) other real estate investments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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