Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Common Stock	Treasury Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Noncontrolling Interests - Non-redeemable	Total
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 957	$ (2,392)	$ 105,862	$ 125,546	$ (420)	$ 229,553
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	9,574	(94)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Stock award maturities, net of shares surrendered or withheld	$ 1	$ (339)	128			(210)
Stock award maturities, net of shares surrendered or withheld (in shares)	10	(9)
Share awards and related compensation	$ 11		2,110			2,121
Share awards and related compensation (in shares)	100
Tax gain from stock-based compensation			215			215
Stock provided in acquisitions	$ 44		18,938			18,982
Stock provided in acquisitions (in shares)	441
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable fair value accretion				(99)		(99)
Net loss noncontrolling interests - nonredeemable					310	310
Net income attributable to Almost Family, Inc.				20,009		20,009
Balance at Jan. 01, 2016	$ 1,013	$ (2,731)	127,253	145,456	(730)	270,261
Balance (in shares) at Jan. 01, 2016	10,125	(103)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014						3,639
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable fair value accretion						99
Net gain noncontrolling interests - redeemable						(99)
Balance at Jan. 01, 2016						3,639
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Stock award maturities, net of shares surrendered or withheld		$ (527)	230			(297)
Stock award maturities, net of shares surrendered or withheld (in shares)	1	(14)
Share awards and related compensation	$ 10		2,750			2,760
Share awards and related compensation (in shares)	98
Tax gain from stock-based compensation			353			353
Stock provided in acquisitions	$ 28		10,647			10,675
Stock provided in acquisitions (in shares)	280
Acquired noncontrolling interest						(1,383)
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable fair value accretion				654		654
Net loss noncontrolling interests - nonredeemable					135	135
Net income attributable to Almost Family, Inc.				17,653		17,653
Balance at Dec. 30, 2016	$ 1,051	$ (3,258)	141,233	163,763	(865)	$ 301,924
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 30, 2016	10,504	(117)				10,504
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable fair value accretion						$ (654)
Net gain noncontrolling interests - redeemable						(654)
Balance at Dec. 30, 2016						2,256
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Stock award maturities, net of shares surrendered or withheld	$ 20	$ (7,195)	4,324			(2,851)
Stock award maturities, net of shares surrendered or withheld (in shares)	201	(134)
Share awards and related compensation	$ 9		5,459			5,468
Share awards and related compensation (in shares)	88
Distribution of capital			(128)			(128)
Equity offering	$ 345		143,560			143,905
Equity offering (in shares)	3,450
Acquired noncontrolling interest					32,042	32,042
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable fair value accretion				132		132
Net loss noncontrolling interests - nonredeemable					(3,391)	(3,391)
Net income attributable to Almost Family, Inc.				20,414		20,414
Balance at Dec. 29, 2017	$ 1,425	$ (10,453)	$ 294,448	$ 184,309	$ 34,568	$ 504,297
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 29, 2017	14,243	(251)				14,243
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Noncontrolling interests - redeemable fair value accretion						$ (132)
Net gain noncontrolling interests - redeemable						(132)
Balance at Dec. 29, 2017						$ 2,256