DEBT (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			5 Months Ended	7 Months Ended		12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	May 18, 2012 $125 Million Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 $125 Million Credit Facility [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 $125 Million Credit Facility [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 $125 Million Credit Facility [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] Prime Rate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] One Month LIBOR [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 $125 Million Credit Facility Amendment 3 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] Prime Rate [Member]	May 07, 2011 Maximum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] Prime Rate [Member]	May 06, 2011 Maximum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] Prime Rate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] LIBOR Rate [Member]	May 07, 2011 Maximum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] LIBOR Rate [Member]	May 06, 2011 Maximum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] LIBOR Rate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility Amendment 3 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] Prime Rate [Member]	May 07, 2011 Minimum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] Prime Rate [Member]	May 06, 2011 Minimum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] Prime Rate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] LIBOR Rate [Member]	May 07, 2011 Minimum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] LIBOR Rate [Member]	May 06, 2011 Minimum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility [Member] LIBOR Rate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] $125 Million Credit Facility Amendment 3 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.24%, due 2014 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.24%, due 2014 [Member]	Jun. 12, 2009 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.50%, due 2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.50%, due 2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.50%, due 2015 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.50%, due 2015 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.50%, due 2015 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.50%, due 2015 [Member] Iowa [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.50%, due 2015 [Member] Indiana [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.50%, due 2015 [Member] Michigan [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 6.50%, due 2015 [Member] Wisconsin [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 7.07%, due 2018 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 7.07%, due 2018 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgage note, bearing interest at 7.07%, due 2018 [Member] Texas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Oregon Trust Deed Notes, weighted average interest rate of 7.33%, maturing from 2021 through 2026 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Oregon Trust Deed Notes, weighted average interest rate of 7.33%, maturing from 2021 through 2026 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Oregon Trust Deed Notes, weighted average interest rate of 7.33%, maturing from 2021 through 2026 [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Oregon Trust Deed Notes, weighted average interest rate of 7.33%, maturing from 2021 through 2026 [Member] Minimum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2007 HUD Insured Mortgages, interest rates ranging from 5.66% to 5.85%, due 2032 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 HUD Insured Mortgages, interest rates ranging from 5.66% to 5.85%, due 2032 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 HUD Insured Mortgages, interest rates ranging from 5.66% to 5.85%, due 2032 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2001 HUD Insured Mortgages [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 HUD Insured Mortgages [Member]
Summary of long-term debt [Abstract]
Total debt	$ 181,715,000	$ 88,241,000			$ 108,000,000	[1]	$ 108,000,000	[1]	$ 12,000,000	[1]																			$ 30,708,000	$ 31,703,000		$ 23,834,000		$ 24,775,000						$ 8,391,000	$ 8,552,000		$ 6,946,000	$ 7,274,000				$ 3,836,000	$ 3,937,000
Less current maturities	(114,575,000)	(2,538,000)
Total long-term debt	67,140,000	85,703,000
Basis spread on interest rate (in hundredths)					3.50%		3.50%						3.50%	2.50%	2.50%	2.75%	3.50%	2.50%	2.75%			1.375%	1.50%	1.75%	2.25%	1.50%	1.75%
Interest rate on mortgage notes (in hundredths)																													6.24%			6.50%								7.07%
Weighted average interest rate on notes (in hundredths)																																											7.33%
Interest rate, minimum (in hundredths)																																											0.00%					5.66%
Interest rate, maximum (in hundredths)																																											9.00%					5.85%
Interest rate on credit facility (in hundredths)											3.25%	0.21%
Number of subsidiaries guaranteed the credit facility									3
Number of residences	211								36
Carrying value of residences									93,100,000
Unused capacity, commitment fee percentage (in hundredths)							0.50%		0.375%				0.625%
Annual capital expenditures, maximum				35,000,000	15,000,000
Debt instrument amendment fee				400,000
Multiple of net income for specified quarters	3.75
Number of prior fiscal quarters for consolidated net income							4
Occupancy percentage of residence to be removed from collateral pool (in hundredths)																					62.00%
Percentage of aggregate value of the collateral pool to exceed the borrowing base (in hundredths)							70.00%
Number of collateral properties added	5
Number of units in properties added	195
Proposed voluntary repayment							4,100,000
Number of condominium units	8
Increase in interest rate (in hundredths)													0.01
Fair market value of mortgages													25,000,000
Unused availability on credit facility to be maintained					8,000,000		8,000,000		107,400,000				4,000,000
Value of mortgages to be held by lender													17,000,000
Debt default, amount					10,000,000		10,000,000						2,500,000
Number of days financial statements must be submitted to credit facility													45 days
Number of weeks in cash flow forecasts													13-week
Minimum amount of new credit facility													15,000,000
Payments for fees to lenders													625,000
Cross-default provisions					23,800,000		23,800,000
Outstanding borrowings	108,000,000
Facility provided as collateral for outstanding line of credit	5,000,000	5,600,000
Line of credit facility amount outstanding	108,000,000
Mortgage note amortization period																													25 years		20 years		15 years							25 years
Number of living residences mortgaged																													24							2	3	1	1			3	6
Carrying value of residences mortgaged																													55,100,000						19,700,000					10,300,000			9,400,000					4,300,000
Monthly principal and interest payments amount																													300,000											64,200
Balloon payment amount																													29,600,000											7,200,000
Long term debt maturity date							Feb. 28, 2016																						Jan. 31, 2014			Sep. 30, 2015								Jul. 31, 2018					Mar. 31, 2026	Jun. 30, 2021		Dec. 31, 2032
Number of loans to be repaid																													2
Face amount of debt instrument					125,000,000		125,000,000																								14,000,000				26,300,000					9,000,000											2,800,000
Additional amount of loan																																	12,250,000
Annual prepayment of loan without fees, maximum (in hundredths)																																	10.00%
Prepayment fee for loan in year one (in hundredths)																																	3.00%
Prepayment fee for loan in year two (in hundredths)																																	3.00%
Prepayment fee for loan in year three (in hundredths)																																	2.00%
Prepayment fee for loan in year four (in hundredths)																																	2.00%
Prepayment fee for loan, thereafter (in hundredths)																																	1.00%
Closing cost of debt																																	400,000
Closing costs amortization period																																	5 years
Interest rate on mortgage note for remaining term (in hundredths)																																											4.16%					5.74%
Number of loan agreements																																																		3
Number of loans refinanced																																															2
Number of charges for lease termination and settlement fee							1
Unfavorable Market Value of Debt Adjustment [Abstract]
Unfavorable market value of debt adjustment			3,200,000
Unfavorable market value adjustment amortization amount	100,000	200,000	37,100
The increased margins on base rate and LIBOR loans (in hundredths)																				3.00%								2.00%
Principal Repayment Schedule [Abstract]
2013	114,575,000
2014	27,565,000
2015	22,440,000
2016	749,000
2017	805,000
After 2017	15,443,000
Gross Long term debt	181,577,000
Plus: Unamortized market value adjustment	138,000
Total debt	181,715,000	88,241,000			108,000,000	[1]	108,000,000	[1]	12,000,000	[1]																			30,708,000	31,703,000		23,834,000		24,775,000						8,391,000	8,552,000		6,946,000	7,274,000				3,836,000	3,937,000
Letters of Credit [Abstract]
Letters of credit outstanding amount					5,000,000		5,000,000		5,600,000
Letter of credit related to workers compensation insurance					4,800,000		4,800,000		5,100,000
Letters of credit for leased properties and liens					200,000		200,000		500,000
Future Liquidity [Abstract]
Outstanding debt	181,715,000	88,241,000			108,000,000	[1]	108,000,000	[1]	12,000,000	[1]																			30,708,000	31,703,000		23,834,000		24,775,000						8,391,000	8,552,000		6,946,000	7,274,000				3,836,000	3,937,000
Current maturities of long-term debt	114,575,000	2,538,000
Line of credit facility amount outstanding	$ 108,000,000

[1] Prior to December 31, 2012, borrowings under this facility bore interest at a floating rate at ALC's option equal to LIBOR or prime plus a margin. The margin was determined by ALC's consolidated leverage ratio (as defined in the U.S. Bank Credit Facility) and ranged from 137.5 to 250 basis points over prime or 225 to 350 basis points over LIBOR. From February 18, 2011 through May 6, 2011, ALC's prime and LIBOR margins were 175 and 275 basis points, respectively. On May 7, 2011, the prime and LIBOR margins were reduced to 150 and 250 basis points, respectively. On December 31, 2012, commencing with the Third Amendment, the facility bears interest at the base rate plus 350 basis points. At December 31, 2012, prime was 3.25% and one month LIBOR was 0.21%.