SEGMENT DATA (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 02, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 03, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 03, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment division	Jan. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Segment data
Net service revenues	$ 153,427	$ 160,421	$ 155,996	$ 153,698	$ 145,217	$ 131,232	$ 127,366	$ 128,399	$ 623,541	$ 532,214	$ 495,829
Operating income									34,932	32,384	24,667
Identifiable assets	658,712				464,769				658,712	464,769
Identifiable liabilities	354,532				190,869				354,532	190,869
Noncontrolling Interest - Redeemable	2,256				3,639				2,256	3,639	3,639	$ 3,639
Capital expenditures									6,206	3,117	1,231
Depreciation and amortization									$ 4,445	3,927	3,913
Number of divisions | division									2
Number of reportable segments | segment									2
Corporate expenses.
Segment data
Operating income									$ (40,808)	(30,441)	(30,672)
Identifiable assets	25,627				20,904				25,627	20,904
Identifiable liabilities	292,423				133,349				292,423	133,349
Capital expenditures									3,905	1,418	617
Depreciation and amortization									1,820	2,356	2,392
Visiting Nurse
Segment data
Net service revenues									436,147	401,051	380,788
Operating income before corporate expenses									56,574	49,872	42,899
Identifiable assets	456,841				310,317				456,841	310,317
Identifiable liabilities	31,792				31,570				31,792	31,570
Capital expenditures									1,099	1,388	465
Depreciation and amortization									1,124	1,210	1,250
Personal Care
Segment data
Net service revenues									161,367	127,712	112,497
Operating income before corporate expenses									13,509	14,170	12,453
Identifiable assets	116,085				111,524				116,085	111,524
Identifiable liabilities	25,241				24,425				25,241	24,425
Capital expenditures									294	203	149
Depreciation and amortization									301	264	271
Healthcare Innovations
Segment data
Net service revenues									26,027	3,451	2,544
Operating income before corporate expenses									5,657	(1,217)	(13)
Identifiable assets	60,159				22,024				60,159	22,024
Identifiable liabilities	5,076				1,525				5,076	1,525
Noncontrolling Interest - Redeemable	$ 2,256				$ 3,639				2,256	3,639	$ 3,639
Capital expenditures									908	108
Depreciation and amortization									$ 1,200	97
Medicare program
Segment data
Segment revenues (as a percent)	68.00%								68.00%
Medicare program | Visiting Nurse
Segment data
Segment revenues (as a percent)	95.00%								95.00%
Medicaid and other government programs | Personal Care
Segment data
Segment revenues (as a percent)	83.00%								83.00%
Medicare shared savings program
Segment data
Net service revenues									$ 4,300	$ 1,400