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Balance Type:	credit
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Estimated Credit Losses, Current Conditions Adjustment, Probability of Default and Loss Given Default, Combined

No definition available.

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Finance Receivable, Number Of Loan Extensions

No definition available.

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Financing Receivable, Number Of Operators/Borrowers

No definition available.

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Financing Receivable, Renewal Term

No definition available.

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Financing Receivable, Stated Interest Rate

No definition available.

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The concept represents a total loan term in number of years

No definition available.

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Increase in Mortgage Note Receivable From Sale of Real Estate

No definition available.

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Loans and Lease Receivable, Number Of Underlying Properties

No definition available.

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The reference rate for variable rate loans receivable, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate.

No definition available.

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Loans and Lease Receivable, Maximum Revolving Amount

No definition available.

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Mortgage Notes Receivable, Designated as Nonperforming

No definition available.

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

No definition available.

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This item represents the interest rate to be received for outstanding borrowings under a master credit agreement.

No definition available.

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Number of Construction Loans

No definition available.

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Number Of Health Care Properties Related To Mortgage Notes Receivables

No definition available.

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Number Of Mortgage Note Receivable Facilities

No definition available.

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Number Of Real Estate Properties Acquired

No definition available.

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This item represents the estimated increase in the probability of default as part of managements assessment of estimated credit losses based on current economic conditions.

No definition available.

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This item represents the minimum amount of a purchase option when the agreement indicates the greater of this amount of fair value.

No definition available.

Name:	nhi_PurchaseOptionAmountMinimum
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Real Estate Investments During The Period

No definition available.

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Revolving Note Receivable, Amount Outstanding

No definition available.

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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.

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Amount excluding accrued interest, of allowance for credit loss on financing receivable. Excludes net investment in lease.

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Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, after allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable. Excludes net investment in lease.

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The aggregate interest and fee income generated by: (1) loans the Entity has positive intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future, or until maturity or payoff, including commercial and consumer loans, whether domestic or foreign, which may consist of: (a) industrial and agricultural; (b) real estate; and (c) real estate construction loans; (d) trade financing; (e) lease financing; (f) home equity lines-of-credit; (g) automobile and other vehicle loans; and (h) credit card and other revolving-type loans and (2) loans and leases held-for-sale which may include mortgage loans, direct financing, and sales-type leases.

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Amount of operating interest income, including, but not limited to, amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts on securities.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
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Reflects the amount of cash required to fully fund agreements to provide advances to borrowers and lessees at stated interest rates.

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Amortized cost, after allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable. Excludes financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement and net investment in lease.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
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The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
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The number of units in a real estate property owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

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The cash inflow from repayments of the balance excluding interest (principal) on loans receivable and leases held for investment purposes.

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Amount of cash outflow for short-term and long-term debt. Excludes payment of lease obligation.

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