Acquisitions and Disposals - Schedule of Acquired Entities (Detail)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
EAMC — Lanier Home Health
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	75.00%
State of Operations	Alabama
Acquisition Date	Feb. 01, 2014
Lifeline Home Health
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Kentucky
Acquisition Date	Feb. 01, 2014
Louisiana Hospice & Palliative Care of New Orleans
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Louisiana
Acquisition Date	Mar. 01, 2014
West Virginia Home Health
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	West Virginia
Acquisition Date	Apr. 01, 2014
St. Joseph’s Hospice
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	West Virginia
Acquisition Date	Apr. 01, 2014
Northwestern Illinois Home Health
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Illinois
Acquisition Date	Apr. 01, 2014
Deaconess-Lifeline Home Health
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Kentucky
Acquisition Date	Apr. 01, 2014
Deaconess HomeCare
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Mississippi
Acquisition Date	Apr. 01, 2014
Deaconess Home Care 1
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Tennessee
Acquisition Date	Apr. 01, 2014
Deaconess Hospice
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Mississippi
Acquisition Date	Apr. 01, 2014
Elk Valley Health Services, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Tennessee
Acquisition Date	Apr. 01, 2014
North Carolina Home Health
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	North Carolina
Acquisition Date	May 01, 2014
Professional Nursing Services
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	North Carolina
Acquisition Date	May 01, 2014
Life Care at Home
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Massachusetts
Acquisition Date	Sep. 01, 2014
Life Care at Home of Tennessee
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Tennessee
Acquisition Date	Sep. 01, 2014
Life Care at Home 1
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Utah
Acquisition Date	Sep. 01, 2014
Life Care at Home 2
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Arizona
Acquisition Date	Sep. 01, 2014
At Home Healthcare
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Colorado
Acquisition Date	Sep. 01, 2014
Life Care at Home
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership Percentage	100.00%
State of Operations	Washington
Acquisition Date	Sep. 01, 2014