Business Segment Information (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring charges	$ 1,699,000	$ 744,000	$ 141,000	$ 53,000		$ 25,000	$ 5,391,000	$ 2,600,000	$ 5,469,000
Goodwill, impairment loss								220,800,000
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Finite-lived				19,132,000	[1]				19,132,000	[1]
Home Health [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of states in certified providers serving	38							38
Goodwill, impairment loss								0
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Finite-lived				6,010,000	[1]				6,010,000	[1]
Hospice [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of states in certified providers serving	30							30
Goodwill, impairment loss								220,800,000
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Finite-lived				13,122,000	[1]				13,122,000	[1]
Corporate expenses [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Asset impairment charges								3,500,000
Land and Building [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Asset impairment charges								1,900,000
Software Development [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Asset impairment charges								1,600,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Deferred debt issuance costs, write off									$ 500,000

[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.