Long-Term Debt (Details Textual) (USD $)	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Mar. 09, 2011	Aug. 17, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member]	Jul. 01, 2014 Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Minimum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Mar. 06, 2012 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Subordinated Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Subordinated Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Long Term One [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Long Term One [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Long Term One [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Long Term One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Long Term One [Member]	Mar. 05, 2012 Long Term One [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Long Term One [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Term Loan B [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Term Loan B [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Term Loan B [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Term Loan B [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Senior Notes [Member]	Mar. 09, 2011 Term Loan B [Member]	Aug. 17, 2010 Term Loan B [Member]	Mar. 09, 2011 Term Loan A [Member]	Aug. 17, 2010 Term Loan A [Member]
Long-Term Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity						$ 875,000,000									$ 110,000,000	$ 125,000,000
Effective interest rate					6.75%												11.50%						6.25%	4.50%				6.50%		11.50%
Deferred debt issuance costs, write off		500,000	3,500,000	2,500,000
Capitalized cost associated with revolving credit facility		4,100,000													800,000
Consolidated interest coverage ratio, original							2.75%
Consolidated interest coverage ratio after Amendment No. 1							2.25%					100.00%
Minimum cash consolidated interest coverage ratio after Amendment No. 3								2.00%	1.75%	2.00%
Aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes redemption						325,000,000											325,000,000	325,000,000
Outstanding letters of credit															125,000,000
Unused and available borrowing capacity under the Credit Agreement															64,600,000
Weighted average cash interest rate on outstanding borrowings		8.20%	6.90%
Percent of Proceed from Issuance Equity Step Down Based on Leverage		50.00%
Excess Cash Flow With Two Step Downs Based on Company Leverage Ratio		75.00%
Consolidated leverage ratio		480.00%
Consolidated interest coverage ratio		250.00%
Principal prepayments term loan																			6,300,000			25,000,000					13,800,000
Debt instrument, face amount																						200,000,000			200,000,000		550,000,000
Refinancing amendment reduction in the minimum base rate																																	4.00%
Term Loan A and Term Loan B Amended minimum Eurodollar rate													1.25%																			3.50%		1.25%	1.75%
Term Loan B Original minimum Eurodollar rate																																	5.00%
Refinancing amendment minimum, base rate amended													2.25%																			2.50%		2.25%	2.75%
Credit agreement interest rate	The Base Rate represents the highest of (x) the Bank of America prime rate, (y) the federal funds rate plus 0.50 percent and (z) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.00 percent
Commitment fees											0.50%			0.50%
Maximum consolidated leverage ratio for specified time period	4.75%
Interest expense and other		92,608,000	91,296,000	41,686,000
Pre payment penalty on term loan																													10,900,000
Cost incurred in connection with Amendment No 3		5,300,000
Pledge of Capital Stock to Lenders Percentage		100.00%
Percentage of senior notes to be redeemed																															35.00%
Senior notes redemption price																															111.50%
Redemption Clause One																														at least 65 percent of the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes originally issued remain outstanding after the occurrence of such redemption
Redemption Clause Two																														such redemption occurs within 180 days after the closing of a qualified equity offering.
Prepayment on Term Loan A facility at the end of fourth quarter of 2012																				25,000,000	12,000,000	14,900,000				38,000,000
Debt instrument redemption price terms																														Gentiva may redeem the Senior Notes, in whole or in part, at any time prior to the first interest payment of 2014, at a price equal to 100 percent of the principal amount of the Senior Notes redeemed plus an applicable make-whole premium based on the present value of the remaining payments discounted at the treasury rate plus 50 basis points plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption.
Long-Term Debt (Additional Textual) [Abstract]
Maturity, repayments of principal in 2013		25,000,000
Maturity, repayments of principal in 2014		93,800,000
Maturity, repayments of principal in 2015		93,800,000
Maturity, repayments of principal in 2016		466,400,000																									466,400,000
Maturity, repayments of principal thereafter																														325,000,000
Capital lease obligations, noncurrent		0	0
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility		50,000,000
Current portion of obligations under capital leases		0	100,000
Outstanding letter of credit		$ 45,400,000	$ 41,800,000