Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, Net (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	$ 98,282,000us-gaap_GoodwillGross	$ 110,322,000us-gaap_GoodwillGross
Goodwill acquired during period	639,292,000us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Accumulated Impairment and Other Charges	(769,000)	(769,000)
Net	736,805,000us-gaap_Goodwill	109,553,000us-gaap_Goodwill
Schedule of Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	161,607,000	159,833,000
Accumulated Amortization	(6,834,000)	(1,076,000)
Net	154,773,000us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsNet	158,757,000us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsNet
Amortization expense related to definite-lived intangible assets	8,000,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	4,700,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	3,800,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Finite Lived Intangible Assets Future Amortization Expense [Abstract]
2015	12,193,000
2016	8,165,000
2017	3,726,000
2018	3,717,000
2019	2,638,000
Thereafter	4,058,000
Total	34,497,000us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Tradenames [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	3 years
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	3 years
Management Contract Intangible [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life	9 years
Community Purchase Options [Member]
Schedule of Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	55,738,000	122,649,000
Accumulated Amortization	0	0
Net	55,738,000	122,649,000
Health Care Licenses [Member]
Schedule of Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	64,538,000	33,853,000
Accumulated Amortization	0	0
Net	64,538,000	33,853,000
Tradenames [Member]
Schedule of Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	27,800,000	0
Accumulated Amortization	(4,179,000)	0
Net	23,621,000	0
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Schedule of Intangible Assets by Major Class [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	13,531,000	3,331,000
Accumulated Amortization	(2,655,000)	(1,076,000)
Net	10,876,000	2,255,000
Retirement Centers [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	7,642,000	7,642,000
Goodwill acquired during period	20,499,000
Accumulated Impairment and Other Charges	(521,000)	(521,000)
Net	27,620,000	7,121,000
Assisted Living [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	90,640,000	102,680,000
Goodwill acquired during period	491,983,000
Accumulated Impairment and Other Charges	(248,000)	(248,000)
Net	582,375,000	102,432,000
Brookdale Ancillary Services [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Gross Carrying Amount	0	0
Goodwill acquired during period	126,810,000
Accumulated Impairment and Other Charges	0	0
Net	$ 126,810,000	$ 0

Sum of the gross carrying amounts before accumulated amortization as of the balance sheet date of all finite and indefinite lived intangible assets. The aggregate gross carrying amount (including any previously recognized impairment charges) of a major finite-lived intangible asset class. A major class is composed of intangible assets that can be grouped together because they are similar, either by their nature or by their use in the operations of a company.

No definition available.