v3.7.0.1

ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Schedule of VIEs (Details) - Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary, Aggregated Disclosure - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Jun. 30, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
--- | --- | ---
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Total Assets | $ 949,241 | $ 981,752
Total Liabilities | 222,644 | 234,109
NHP/PMB L.P. |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Total Assets | 626,227 | 639,763
Total Liabilities | 194,369 | 199,674
Ventas Realty Capital Healthcare Trust Operating Partnership, L.P. |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Total Assets | 0 | 2,143,139
Total Liabilities | 0 | 162,426
Other identified VIEs |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Total Assets | 1,945,402 | 1,882,336
Total Liabilities | $ 332,971 | $ 354,034

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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=77990344&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=77990344&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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- Details
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- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=vtr_NhppmblpMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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

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- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=vtr_OtherIdentifiedVIEsMember
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Balance Type: |
Period Type: |