Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments \| segment	5
Revenue	$ 1,187,234	$ 1,216,766
Segment Operating Income	292,622	358,279
General and administrative (including non-cash stock-based compensation expense)	76,710	65,560
Transaction costs	4,725	7,593
Facility lease expense	80,400	88,807
Depreciation and amortization	114,255	127,487
Goodwill and asset impairment	430,363	20,706
Income (loss) from operations	(413,831)	48,126
Total assets	$ 7,187,428		$ 7,675,449
Retirement Centers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Age of residential tenant	75 years
Operating Segments [Member] \| Retirement Centers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 158,397	172,620
Segment Operating Income	64,422	74,002
Total assets	1,255,585		1,266,076
Operating Segments [Member] \| Assisted Living [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	532,280	590,537
Segment Operating Income	176,538	217,439
Total assets	4,134,795		4,535,114
Operating Segments [Member] \| CCRCs Rental [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	105,069	141,798
Segment Operating Income	24,663	35,315
Total assets	637,545		667,234
Operating Segments [Member] \| Brookdale Ancillary Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	110,520	111,972
Segment Operating Income	8,318	15,629
Total assets	248,763		257,257
Operating Segments [Member] \| Management Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	280,968	199,839
Segment Operating Income	18,681	$ 15,894
Total assets	$ 910,740		$ 949,768

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Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.

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Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

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The aggregate total of expenses of managing and administering the affairs of an entity, including affiliates of the reporting entity, which are not directly or indirectly associated with the manufacture, sale or creation of a product or product line.

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Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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