Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Jun. 30, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 8-03 of Article 8 of Regulations S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. Changes to GAAP are established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) in the form of Accounting Standards Updates (“ASUs”) to the FASB’s Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”). In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations for the periods presented have been included. Operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year. The balance sheet at December 31, 2013, has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date, but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. You should read these consolidated financial statements together with the historical consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2013 included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 31, 2014. The Company operates in one business segment. These statements include the accounts of AdCare Health Systems, Inc. and its controlled subsidiaries. Controlled subsidiaries include AdCare’s majority owned subsidiaries and one variable interest entity (a "VIE") in which AdCare has control as primary beneficiary. All inter-company accounts and transactions were eliminated in the consolidation.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported results of operations during the reporting period. Examples of significant estimates include allowance for doubtful accounts, contractual allowances for Medicaid, Medicare, and managed care reimbursements, deferred tax valuation allowance, fair value of derivative instruments, fair value of employee and nonemployee stock based awards, fair value estimation methods used to determine the assigned fair value of assets and liabilities acquired in acquisitions, and valuation of goodwill and other long-lived assets. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications Certain items previously reported in the consolidated financial statement captions have been reclassified to conform to the current financial statement presentation with no effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations. These reclassifications did not affect total assets, total liabilities, or stockholders’ equity. Reclassifications were made to June 30, 2013 Consolidated Statements of Operations to reflect the same facilities in discontinued operations for both periods presented.
Patient Care Receivables and Revenues	. Revenue Recognition and Patient Care Receivables The Company recognizes revenue when the following four conditions have been met: (i) there is persuasive evidence that an arrangement exists; (ii) delivery has occurred or service has been rendered; (iii) the price is fixed or determinable; and (iv) collection is reasonably assured. The Company's revenue is derived primarily from providing healthcare services to residents and is recognized on the date services are provided at amounts billable to the individual. For reimbursement arrangements with third-party payors, including Medicaid, Medicare and private insurers, revenue is recorded based on contractually agreed-upon amounts on a per patient, daily basis. Revenue from the Medicaid and Medicare programs accounted for 84.4% and 84.3% of the Company’s revenue for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively, and 84.9% and 84.8% of the Company's revenue for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013. The Company records revenue from these governmental and managed care programs as services are performed at their expected net realizable amounts under these programs. The Company’s revenue from governmental and managed care programs is subject to audit and retroactive adjustment by governmental and third-party agencies. Consistent with healthcare industry accounting practices, any changes to these governmental revenue estimates are recorded in the period the change or adjustment becomes known based on final settlement. The Company recorded retroactive adjustments to revenue which were not material to the Company's consolidated revenue for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013. Potentially uncollectible patient accounts are provided for on the allowance method based upon management's evaluation of outstanding accounts receivable at period-end and historical experience. Uncollected accounts that are written off are charged against allowance. As of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, management recorded an allowance for uncollectible accounts of $5.7 million and $5.0 million, respectively.
Management Fee Receivables and Revenues	Management Fee Receivables and Revenues Management fee receivables and revenue are recorded in the month that services are provided. As of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the Company evaluated collectibility of management fees and determined that no allowance was required.
Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments	Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments Accounting guidance establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements. The valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. The categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The three levels are defined as follows: Level 1— Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities Level 2— Other observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data Level 3— Significant unobservable inputs The respective carrying value of certain financial instruments of the Company approximates their fair value. These instruments include cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and investments, accounts receivable, notes receivable, notes payable and other debt, and accounts payable. Fair values were assumed to approximate carrying values for these financial instruments since they are short-term in nature and their carrying amounts approximate fair values, they are receivable or payable on demand, or the interest rates earned and/or paid approximate current market rates.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements Except for rules and interpretive releases of the SEC under authority of federal securities laws and a limited number of grandfathered standards, the FASB ASC is the sole source of authoritative GAAP literature recognized by the FASB and applicable to the Company. The Company has reviewed the FASB issued ASUs accounting pronouncements and interpretations thereof that have effectiveness dates during the periods reported and in future periods. In April 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-08 that amends the definition of a discontinued operation to include only those disposals of components of an entity that represent a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. This ASU should be applied prospectively and is effective for the Company for the 2015 annual and interim periods. Early adoption is permitted for disposals that have not been reported in financial statements previously issued. We have not adopted this ASU as of June 30, 2014. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 guidance requiring revenue to be recognized in an amount that reflects the consideration expected to be received in exchange for those goods and services. The guidance requires the disclosure of sufficient quantitative and qualitative information for financial statement users to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and associated cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period, with early adoption precluded. The Company has not yet determined the impact, if any, that the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial position or results of operations.

Disclosure of accounting policy for revenue recognition for management fee income, including those that contain a performance-based incentive fee which are based on a formula. This disclosure also may indicate whether the entity has recorded any revenue that is at risk due to future performance contingencies, the nature of contracts giving rise to the contingencies, and, if material, the amount of any such revenue recorded.

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