Commitments And Contingencies (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) properties beds_or_units	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Contingent Funding Commitment, Amount Funded	$ (500,000)
Contingent Funding Commitment, Remaining Unfunded Amount	21,350,000
Incentive to Lessee	$ 10,146,000	$ 7,456,000
Number of Real Estate Properties \| properties	223
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	$ 340,143,000	$ 246,111,000
Maximum Commitment For All Active Development Projects	46,645,000
Contingent Funding Commitment	$ 21,850,000
Bickford Senior Living [Member]
Number of Real Estate Properties \| properties	47
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	$ 23,116,000
Number Of Real Estate Properties Acquired \| properties	1
Senior Living Communities [Member]
Number of Real Estate Properties \| properties	10
Number of Units in Real Estate Property \| beds_or_units	2,068
Loans and Lease Receivable, Maximum Revolving Amount	$ 12,000,000
Note Receivable Interest Rate	10.00%
Lessor, Operating Lease, Term of Contract	15 years
Revolving Note Receivable, Amount Outstanding	$ 5,174,000
Loans Receivable, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	6.00%
Bickford Note Investment [Member]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	$ 37,116,000
Comfort Care Senior Living [Member]
Lessor, Operating Lease, Term of Contract	10 years
Initial lease rate	7.75%
Wingate Healthcare [Member]
Number of Units in Real Estate Property \| beds_or_units	267
Capital improvements commitment	$ 1,900,000
Lessor, Operating Lease, Term of Contract	10 years
Initial lease rate	7.50%
Number Of Real Estate Properties Acquired \| properties	1
Discovery Senior Living [Member]
Contingent Funding Commitment, Amount Funded	$ (497,000)
Long-term Purchase Commitment, Amount	$ 2,000,000
Number of Units in Real Estate Property \| beds_or_units	596
Note Receivable Interest Rate	7.00%
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	$ 175,000
Lessor, Operating Lease, Term of Contract	10 years
Initial lease rate	6.50%
Number Of Real Estate Properties Acquired \| properties	6
Non-Performing Lease [Member]
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party	$ 2,850,000
Settlement Term	5 years
Loan and Lease Losses and Recoveries, Net	$ 60,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Senior Living Communities [Member]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net Amount	5,174,000
Development Commitment [Member] \| Wingate Healthcare [Member]
Maximum Commitment For All Active Development Projects	1,900,000
Development Commitment [Member] \| Navion Senior Solutions [Member]
Maximum Commitment For All Active Development Projects	650,000
Development Commitment [Member] \| Discovery Senior Living [Member]
Maximum Commitment For All Active Development Projects	900,000
Development Commitment [Member] \| Ignite Medical Resorts [Member]
Maximum Commitment For All Active Development Projects	25,350,000
Lease Inducement [Member] \| Comfort Care Senior Living [Member]
Contingent Funding Commitment, Amount Funded	0
Contingent Funding Commitment, Remaining Unfunded Amount	6,000,000
Contingent Funding Commitment	6,000,000
Lease Inducement [Member] \| Wingate Healthcare [Member]
Contingent Funding Commitment, Amount Funded	0
Contingent Funding Commitment, Remaining Unfunded Amount	5,000,000
Contingent Funding Commitment	5,000,000
Lease Inducement [Member] \| Navion Senior Solutions [Member]
Contingent Funding Commitment, Amount Funded	(500,000)
Contingent Funding Commitment, Remaining Unfunded Amount	4,350,000
Contingent Funding Commitment	4,850,000
Lease Inducement [Member] \| Discovery Senior Living [Member]
Contingent Funding Commitment, Amount Funded	0
Contingent Funding Commitment, Remaining Unfunded Amount	4,000,000
Contingent Funding Commitment	4,000,000
Lease Inducement [Member] \| Ignite Medical Resorts [Member]
Contingent Funding Commitment, Amount Funded	0
Contingent Funding Commitment, Remaining Unfunded Amount	2,000,000
Contingent Funding Commitment	$ 2,000,000

This element represents the total amount of capital improvements that an entity has committed to complete.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_CapitalImprovementsCommitment
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the maximum amount of a contingent funding commitment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_ContingentFundingCommitment
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the amount of a contingent funding commitment which has been funded.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the remaining unfunded amount related to a contingent funding commitment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_ContingentFundingCommitmentRemainingUnfundedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The initial rate charged under a lease entered into in connection with the purchase of a property.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_InitialLeaseRate
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Loans and Lease Receivable, Maximum Revolving Amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the maximum commitment for all active development projects.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This concept reflects the interest rate to be received on a loan receivable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_NoteReceivableInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number Of Real Estate Properties Acquired

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revolving Note Receivable, Amount Outstanding

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_RevolvingNoteReceivableAmountOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The concept represents a total settlement term in number of years.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nhi_SettlementTerm
Namespace Prefix:	nhi_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents the deferred charge for an incentive or inducement granted by a lessor to a lessee, in order to motivate the lessee to enter the lease agreement, which incentive or inducement is to be recognized as a reduction of rental revenue over the lease term.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 7
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-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 6
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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Term of lessor's operating lease, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119202524&loc=SL77919359-209981

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount awarded from other party in judgment or settlement of litigation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after allowance and deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements and loans held for sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage points (also referred to as 'margin') added to the reference rate as stated in the loan agreement and used to compute the variable rate on the loans receivable. For instance, the loan agreement might state that the interest rate the borrower is obligated to pay is the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus three quarters (3/4) of a percentage point adjusted quarterly (each three months). LIBOR in this example is the index or reference rate, 3/4 percentage point is the margin, the reference rate plus the margin is the fully indexed rate. This element would be used to report separately the margin.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansReceivableBasisSpreadOnVariableRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The minimum amount the entity agreed to spend under the long-term purchase commitment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfUnitsInRealEstateProperty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Cash received for the settlement of litigation during the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Namespace Prefix:
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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	srt_MajorCustomersAxis=nhi_DiscoverySeniorLivingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Namespace Prefix:
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