Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Accounting Policies (Policies)	Jun. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements for the periods ended July 3, 2015 and June 30, 2014, have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States have been omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. Accordingly, the reader of this Form 10-Q is referred to Almost Family, Inc.’s (the “Company”) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 for further information. In the opinion of management of the Company, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position at July 3, 2015, and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods ended July 3, 2015 and June 30, 2014. The results of operations for the period ended July 3, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the year. Effective with the first quarter of 2015, the Company adopted a 52-53 fiscal reporting calendar under which it will report its annual results going forward in four equal 13-week quarters. Every fifth year, one quarter will include 14 weeks and that year will include 53 weeks of operating results. Once fully adopted, this approach will help minimize the impact of calendar differences when comparing different historical periods. As a result of the change in the fiscal reporting calendar, the quarter ended April 3, 2015 and the year to date period January 1, 2015 through July 3, 2015 included 3 more days of results than they would have had if the change not been made. The three month period for the second quarter of 2015, which includes operating results from April 4, 2015 through July 3, 2015 had the same number of days it would have had if the reporting calendar change had not been made. However the Independence Day holiday observed on July 3, 2015 would have otherwise been reported in the next period. Including the Independence Day holiday reduced diluted EPS by $0.03 in the current period.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), during the second quarter of 2014. Topic 606 affects virtually all aspects of an entity’s revenue recognition, including determining the measurement of revenue and the timing of when it is recognized for the transfer of goods or services to customers. Topic 606 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of the adoption of Topic 606 on its financial position and results of operations. In April, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, Interest — Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. Subtopic 835-30 requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. Subtopic 835-30 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of the adoption of ASU No 2015-03 on its financial position and results of operations.
Discontinued Operations	Discontinued Operations In April 2014, the FASB issued accounting guidance amending the requirements for reporting discontinued operations Accounting Standards Codification (ASC 205 Presentation of Financial Statements and ASC 360 Property, Plant and Equipment). This guidance limits the requirement for discontinued operations treatment to the disposal of a component of an entity, or a group of components of an entity, that represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. Additionally, this new guidance no longer precludes discontinued operations presentation based on continuing involvement or cash flows following the disposal. This guidance became effective prospectively for the Company on January 1, 2015, and will impact the Company’s determination and disclosure of discontinued operations treatment for subsequent qualifying divestitures, if any. In the first quarter of 2014, the Company’s VN segment exited a market in the Northeast through the closure of a branch location. In conjunction with the SunCrest acquisition in 2013, the Company acquired operations which had been discontinued prior to acquisition. The operations and any related gain on sale for these operations were reclassified from continuing operations into discontinued operations for all periods presented. Unless otherwise noted, amounts in these Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements exclude amounts attributable to discontinued operations.
Cost-basis Investment	Cost-basis Investment On January 29, 2015, the Company invested $1,000 in a development stage analytics software company, NavHealth, Inc. The cost basis investment is included in other assets in the Company’s balance sheet. The Company, through its ownership interest, is not in a position to significantly influence the activities of NavHealth, Inc.