Identifiable Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012		Jan. 01, 2014	Sep. 30, 2012 Home Health [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Home Health [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Home Health [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 Hospice [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Hospice [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Hospice [Member]		Mar. 31, 2013 Hospice [Member]
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, period increase (decrease)					$ 500,000
Amortization expense	900,000	2,600,000		3,400,000	8,700,000
Estimated amortization expense for the remainder of 2013	600,000			600,000
Estimated amortization expense for 2014	2,400,000			2,400,000
Estimated amortization expense for 2015	2,300,000			2,300,000
Estimated amortization expense for 2016	1,400,000			1,400,000
Estimated amortization expense for 2017	1,200,000			1,200,000
Estimated amortization expense for 2018	400,000			400,000
Goodwill [Line Items]
Medicare revenue rate adjustment							3.50%
Fair value inputs, discount rate															9.50%
Goodwill impairment test, net book value of reporting unit																		555,000,000
Goodwill, impairment loss				220,800,000						0					220,800,000
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Finite-lived		$ 19,132,000	[1]		$ 19,132,000	[1]		$ 6,010,000	[1]		$ 6,010,000	[1]	$ 13,122,000	[1]		$ 13,122,000	[1]

[1] (2)At March 31, 2013, the Company performed an interim impairment test of its Hospice reporting unit. Based on the results of the interim impairment test, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge relating to goodwill of approximately $220.8 million. As part of that analysis, the Company reviewed the valuation of its owned real estate utilized in the Hospice business. The analysis indicated that two of the Company's hospice inpatient units had estimated fair values lower than their carrying values and, as such, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge of approximately $1.9 million. See Note 9.In addition, the Company conducted an evaluation of the various systems used to support its field operations. In connection with that review, the Company made a strategic decision to replace its business intelligence software platform and, as such, recorded a non-cash impairment charge, related to developed software, of approximately $1.6 million.Hospice and corporate assets were reduced by $220.8 million and $3.5 million, respectively, as a result of the impairment.For both the third quarter and first nine months of 2012, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges associated with a write-off of its trade name intangibles of $19.1 million in connection with the Company's initiative to re-brand its operations under the Gentiva name. Home Health and Hospice assets were reduced by $6.0 million and $13.1 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2012 as a result of the impairment.