v3.5.0.2

ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Schedule of VIEs (Details) - Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary, Aggregated Disclosure - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Sep. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
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NHP/PMB L.P. |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Total Assets | $ 645,846 | $ 645,109
Total Liabilities | 202,200 | 203,235
Ventas Realty Capital Healthcare Trust Operating Partnership, L.P. |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Total Assets | 2,165,226 | 2,367,296
Total Liabilities | 162,019 | 233,600
Other identified VIEs |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Total Assets | 1,886,133 | 1,582,430
Total Liabilities | 381,933 | 431,582
Wexford tax credit VIEs |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Total Assets | 982,233 | 0
Total Liabilities | $ 223,723 | $ 0

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- Definition The carrying amount of the consolidated Variable Interest Entity's assets included in the reporting entity's statement of financial position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (bb) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5710-111685 + Details
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Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition The carrying amount of the consolidated Variable Interest Entity's liabilities included in the reporting entity's statement of financial position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (bb) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5710-111685 + Details
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Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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- 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
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Balance Type: | na
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
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- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=vtr_OtherIdentifiedVIEsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
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Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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