Supplemental Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jan. 03, 2010
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 207,052	$ 164,912	$ 104,752	$ 152,410
Receivables, net	251,080	290,589
Deferred tax assets, current	12,263	26,451
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	45,632	38,379
Total current assets	516,027	520,331
Note receivable from CareCentrix	28,471	25,000
Fixed assets, net	41,414	46,246
Intangible assets, net	193,613	214,874
Goodwill	656,364	641,669	1,085,066
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity	0	0
Other assets	75,045	82,208
Total assets	1,510,934	1,530,328	2,120,128
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	25,000	14,903
Accounts payable	13,445	12,613
Other current liabilities	251,454	267,676
Total current liabilities	289,899	295,192
Long-term debt	910,182	973,222
Deferred tax liabilities, net	42,165	32,498
Other liabilities	33,988	26,885
Total Gentiva shareholders' equity	233,162	199,938
Noncontrolling interests	1,538	2,593
Total equity	234,700	202,531	638,232	571,163
Total liabilities and equity	1,510,934	1,530,328
Gentiva Health Services, Inc. [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	166,140	124,101	63,816	113,211
Receivables, net	0	0
Deferred tax assets, current	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	166,140	124,101
Note receivable from CareCentrix	0	0
Fixed assets, net	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity	1,002,204	1,063,962
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	1,168,344	1,188,063
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	25,000	14,903
Accounts payable	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	25,000	14,903
Long-term debt	910,182	973,222
Deferred tax liabilities, net	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Total Gentiva shareholders' equity	233,162	199,938
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	233,162	199,938
Total liabilities and equity	1,168,344	1,188,063
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Receivables, net	245,191	283,552
Deferred tax assets, current	10,280	24,560
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	36,899	32,619
Total current assets	292,370	340,731
Note receivable from CareCentrix	28,471	25,000
Fixed assets, net	41,066	45,917
Intangible assets, net	193,513	214,774
Goodwill	650,300	635,605
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity	27,210	25,173
Other assets	75,039	82,200
Total assets	1,307,969	1,369,400
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	27,300	22,913
Other current liabilities	202,321	223,165
Total current liabilities	229,621	246,078
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities, net	42,165	32,498
Other liabilities	33,979	26,862
Total Gentiva shareholders' equity	1,002,204	1,063,962
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,002,204	1,063,962
Total liabilities and equity	1,307,969	1,369,400
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	40,912	40,811	40,936	39,199
Receivables, net	19,744	18,168
Deferred tax assets, current	1,983	1,891
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	8,733	6,904
Total current assets	71,372	67,774
Note receivable from CareCentrix	0	0
Fixed assets, net	348	329
Intangible assets, net	100	100
Goodwill	6,064	6,064
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity	0	0
Other assets	6	8
Total assets	77,890	74,275
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	0	831
Other current liabilities	49,133	45,655
Total current liabilities	49,133	46,486
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities, net	0	0
Other liabilities	9	23
Total Gentiva shareholders' equity	27,210	25,173
Noncontrolling interests	1,538	2,593
Total equity	28,748	27,766
Total liabilities and equity	77,890	74,275
Eliminations [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Receivables, net	(13,855)	(11,131)
Deferred tax assets, current	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	(1,144)
Total current assets	(13,855)	(12,275)
Note receivable from CareCentrix	0	0
Fixed assets, net	0	0
Intangible assets, net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity	(1,029,414)	(1,089,135)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,043,269)	(1,101,410)
Current liabilities:
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	(13,855)	(11,131)
Other current liabilities	0	(1,144)
Total current liabilities	(13,855)	(12,275)
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred tax liabilities, net	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Total Gentiva shareholders' equity	(1,029,414)	(1,089,135)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(1,029,414)	(1,089,135)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (1,043,269)	$ (1,101,410)