QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA - (UNAUDITED) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jul. 01, 2016	Apr. 01, 2016	Jan. 01, 2016	Oct. 02, 2015	Jul. 03, 2015	Apr. 03, 2015	Dec. 30, 2016	Jan. 01, 2016	Jan. 01, 2016	Dec. 31, 2014
QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA - (UNAUDITED)
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
Gross margin	69,952	74,347	72,304	71,466	67,521	61,757	61,023	60,072	288,069		250,372	231,835
Income from continuing operations attributable to Almost Family, Inc.									17,653	$ 20,009	20,009	13,763
Net income attributable to Almost Family, Inc.	$ 3,592	$ 5,366	$ 4,777	$ 3,917	$ 2,806	$ 7,799	$ 5,010	$ 4,394	$ 18,172		$ 19,541	$ 13,524
Average shares outstanding
Basic (in shares)	10,162	10,172	10,158	10,089	9,775	9,604	9,393	9,353	10,153		9,505	9,333
Diluted (in shares)	10,330	10,310	10,322	10,260	10,000	9,822	9,569	9,521	10,346		9,745	9,462
Net income attributable to Almost Family, Inc. per share
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.35	$ 0.53	$ 0.47	$ 0.39	$ 0.29	$ 0.81	$ 0.53	$ 0.47	$ 1.74		$ 2.11	$ 1.47
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.35	$ 0.52	$ 0.46	$ 0.38	$ 0.28	$ 0.79	$ 0.52	$ 0.46	$ 1.71		$ 2.05	$ 1.45