Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Cash and escrow deposits – restricted consist principally of deposits required by certain lenders and lessors pursuant to the applicable agreement and consist of the following (dollars in thousands):

	December 31,
	2014		2013
Current:
Real estate tax escrows	$	17,926	$	9,252
Replacement reserve escrows		15,535		9,139
Resident deposits		1,054		8,249
Other		4,347		11,551
Subtotal		38,862		38,191
Long term:
Letter of credit collateral		21,935		19,975
Insurance deposits		19,299		11,227
CCRC escrows		13,214		26,209
Debt service reserve		1,728		—
Other		200		200
Subtotal		56,376		57,611
Total	$	95,238	$	95,802

Property, plant and equipment, useful lives

Property, plant and equipment and leasehold intangibles, which include amounts recorded under capital and financing leases, are recorded at cost. Depreciation and amortization is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which are as follows:

Asset Category		Estimated Useful Life (in years)
Buildings and improvements		40
Furniture and equipment		3 – 7
Resident lease intangibles		1 – 4

Definite lived intangible assets, useful lives

Amortization of the Company's definite-lived intangible assets is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which are as follows:

Asset Category		Estimated Useful Life (in years)
Trade names		2 - 5
Other		3 – 9