DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS (Details) - Jun. 30, 2015	Tenant property community
Real estate properties
Number of real estate properties (owned more than 1,600)	1,600
Number of properties leased	952
Development Projects
Real estate properties
Number of real estate properties (owned more than 1,600)	2
Seniors Housing Communities
Real estate properties
Number of independent third party managed properties \| community	305
Brookdale Senior Living
Real estate properties
Number of properties leased	145
Number of properties included in investments in unconsolidated entities	6
Kindred
Real estate properties
Number of properties leased	81
Brookdale Senior Living Inc. and Kindred Healthcare, Inc.
Real estate properties
Number of largest tenants \| Tenant	2

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

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Concentration Risk, Number of Tenants

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_ConcentrationRiskNumberofTenants
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of properties that are managed by the independent third party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_NumberOfIndependentThirdPartyManagedProperties
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Properties Included in Investments in Unconsolidated Entities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_NumberOfPropertiesIncludedInInvestmentsInUnconsolidatedEntities
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of properties owned that are leased to unaffiliated tenants under triple-net lease terms.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vtr_NumberOfPropertiesLeasedUnderTripleNetLeases
Namespace Prefix:	vtr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=vtr_DevelopmentProjectsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=vtr_SeniorHousingCommunitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	vtr_PropertySubjectToOperatingLeaseByLessorAxis=vtr_BrookdaleSeniorLivingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	vtr_PropertySubjectToOperatingLeaseByLessorAxis=vtr_KindredMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis=vtr_BrookdaleSeniorLivingInc.andKindredHealthcareInc.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: