v2.4.0.6
Condensed Consolidating Information (Details 2) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Sep. 30, 2012
Jun. 30, 2012
Mar. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Sep. 30, 2011
Jun. 30, 2011
Mar. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2010
Revenues:                      
Rental income                 $ 1,194,060 $ 803,455 $ 523,339
Resident fees and services                 1,229,479 868,095 446,301
Medical office building and other services revenue                 20,741 36,471 14,098
Income from loans and investments                 39,913 34,415 16,412
Equity earnings in affiliates                 0 0 0
Interest and other income                 1,106 1,217 484
Total revenues 660,711 [1] 641,520 [1] 614,502 [1] 568,566 [1] 563,145 [2] 554,691 [2] 359,421 [2] 266,396 [2] 2,485,299 1,743,653 1,000,634
Expenses:                      
Interest                 293,401 229,346 172,474
Depreciation and amortization                 725,981 447,664 200,682
Property-level operating expenses                 969,342 647,193 315,953
Medical office building services costs                 9,883 27,082 9,518
General, administrative and professional fees                 98,801 74,537 49,830
Loss on extinguishment of debt, net                 37,640 27,604 9,791
Litigation proceeds, net                 0 (202,259) 0
Merger-related expenses and deal costs                 63,183 153,923 19,243
Other                 6,956 7,270 272
Total expenses                 2,205,187 1,412,360 777,763
Income from continuing operations before income from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest                 280,112 331,293 222,871
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities                 18,154 (52) (664)
Income tax benefit (expense)                 6,282 30,660 (5,201)
Income from continuing operations                 304,548 361,901 217,006
Discontinued operations (11,725) [1] (4,093) [1] 30,529 [1] 42,516 [1] (605) [2] (306) [2] 1,226 [2] 1,045 [2] 57,227 1,360 32,723
Net income                 361,775 363,261 249,729
Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax                 (1,025) (1,232) 3,562
Net income attributable to common stockholders 86,267 111,882 74,025 90,626 192,948 102,885 19,676 48,984 362,800 364,493 246,167
Ventas, Inc.
                      
Revenues:                      
Rental income                 2,538 2,471 2,409
Resident fees and services                 0 0 0
Medical office building and other services revenue                 0 0 0
Income from loans and investments                 2,944 6,305 5,666
Equity earnings in affiliates                 322,582 231,773 258,441
Interest and other income                 476 208 332
Total revenues                 328,540 240,757 266,848
Expenses:                      
Interest                 (3,858) (1,897) 1,758
Depreciation and amortization                 2,777 1,714 1,635
Property-level operating expenses                 0 0 0
Medical office building services costs                 0 0 0
General, administrative and professional fees                 3,682 (5,328) (2,549)
Loss on extinguishment of debt, net                 0 2,071 0
Litigation proceeds, net                   (202,259)  
Merger-related expenses and deal costs                 53,120 111,845 14,291
Other                 79 778 219
Total expenses                 55,800 (93,076) 15,354
Income from continuing operations before income from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest                 272,740 333,833 251,494
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities                 0 0 0
Income tax benefit (expense)                 6,282 30,660 (5,201)
Income from continuing operations                 279,022 364,493 246,293
Discontinued operations                 83,778 0 (126)
Net income                 362,800 364,493 246,167
Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax                 0 0 0
Net income attributable to common stockholders                 362,800 364,493 246,167
Ventas Issuers
                      
Revenues:                      
Rental income                 278,367 270,745 264,250
Resident fees and services                 0 0 0
Medical office building and other services revenue                 0 0 0
Income from loans and investments                 1,630 8,570 7,789
Equity earnings in affiliates                 0 0 0
Interest and other income                 25 57 83
Total revenues                 280,022 279,372 272,122
Expenses:                      
Interest                 93,838 68,153 47,246
Depreciation and amortization                 36,608 31,752 32,771
Property-level operating expenses                 535 510 519
Medical office building services costs                 0 0 0
General, administrative and professional fees                 30,317 29,336 21,618
Loss on extinguishment of debt, net                 39,737 8,769 8,993
Litigation proceeds, net                   0  
Merger-related expenses and deal costs                 0 0 0
Other                 0 0 0
Total expenses                 201,035 138,520 111,147
Income from continuing operations before income from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest                 78,987 140,852 160,975
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities                 1,557 (52) (664)
Income tax benefit (expense)                 0 0 0
Income from continuing operations                 80,544 140,800 160,311
Discontinued operations                 2,296 3,881 31,088
Net income                 82,840 144,681 191,399
Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax                 0 0 0
Net income attributable to common stockholders                 82,840 144,681 191,399
Ventas Subsidiaries
                      
Revenues:                      
Rental income                 913,155 530,239 256,680
Resident fees and services                 1,229,479 868,095 446,301
Medical office building and other services revenue                 20,741 36,471 14,098
Income from loans and investments                 35,339 19,540 2,957
Equity earnings in affiliates                 828 1,447 1,914
Interest and other income                 605 952 69
Total revenues                 2,200,147 1,456,744 722,019
Expenses:                      
Interest                 203,421 163,090 123,470
Depreciation and amortization                 686,596 414,198 166,276
Property-level operating expenses                 968,807 646,683 315,434
Medical office building services costs                 9,883 27,082 9,518
General, administrative and professional fees                 64,802 50,529 30,761
Loss on extinguishment of debt, net                 (2,097) 16,764 798
Litigation proceeds, net                   0  
Merger-related expenses and deal costs                 10,063 42,078 4,952
Other                 6,877 6,492 53
Total expenses                 1,948,352 1,366,916 651,262
Income from continuing operations before income from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest                 251,795 89,828 70,757
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities                 16,597 0 0
Income tax benefit (expense)                 0 0 0
Income from continuing operations                 268,392 89,828 70,757
Discontinued operations                 (28,847) (2,521) 1,761
Net income                 239,545 87,307 72,518
Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax                 (1,025) (1,232) 3,562
Net income attributable to common stockholders                 240,570 88,539 68,956
Consolidated Elimination
                      
Revenues:                      
Rental income                 0 0 0
Resident fees and services                 0 0 0
Medical office building and other services revenue                 0 0 0
Income from loans and investments                 0 0 0
Equity earnings in affiliates                 (323,410) (233,220) (260,355)
Interest and other income                 0 0 0
Total revenues                 (323,410) (233,220) (260,355)
Expenses:                      
Interest                 0 0 0
Depreciation and amortization                 0 0 0
Property-level operating expenses                 0 0 0
Medical office building services costs                 0 0 0
General, administrative and professional fees                 0 0 0
Loss on extinguishment of debt, net                 0 0 0
Litigation proceeds, net                   0  
Merger-related expenses and deal costs                 0 0 0
Other                 0 0 0
Total expenses                 0 0 0
Income from continuing operations before income from unconsolidated entities, income taxes, discontinued operations and noncontrolling interest                 (323,410) (233,220) (260,355)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities                 0 0 0
Income tax benefit (expense)                 0 0 0
Income from continuing operations                 (323,410) (233,220) (260,355)
Discontinued operations                 0 0 0
Net income                 (323,410) (233,220) (260,355)
Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax                 0 0 0
Net income attributable to common stockholders                 $ (323,410) $ (233,220) $ (260,355)
[1] The amounts presented for the three months ended March 31, 2012, June 30, 2012 and September 30, 2012 differ from the amounts previously reported in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as a result of discontinued operations consisting of properties sold in 2012 or classified as held for sale as of December 31, 2012.
[2] The amounts presented for the three months ended March 31, 2011, June 30, 2011, September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2011 differ from the amounts previously reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 as a result of discontinued operations consisting of properties sold in 2012 or classified as held for sale as of December 31, 2012.