NOTES PAYABLE AND OTHER DEBT (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended					0 Months Ended				0 Months Ended				0 Months Ended						0 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended							1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended						12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 06, 2012	Aug. 31, 2011	Feb. 28, 2013 Ohio ALF item	Dec. 31, 2012 Ohio ALF item	Dec. 31, 2012 Ohio ALF item	Jun. 30, 2012 Stone County	Jul. 03, 2012 Quail Creek	Dec. 31, 2012 Revolving credit facilities and lines of credit	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolving credit facilities and lines of credit	Sep. 20, 2012 Gemino Credit Facility	Dec. 31, 2011 Gemino Credit Facility	Sep. 20, 2012 Gemino Credit Facility Minimum	Sep. 20, 2012 Gemino Credit Facility Maximum	Sep. 20, 2012 Gemino-Bonterra Credit facility	Dec. 31, 2012 Gemino-Bonterra Credit facility	Sep. 20, 2012 Gemino-Bonterra Credit facility Minimum	Sep. 20, 2012 Gemino-Bonterra Credit facility Maximum	Dec. 28, 2012 PrivateBank Credit Facility	Sep. 20, 2012 PrivateBank Credit Facility	Dec. 31, 2012 PrivateBank Credit Facility	Oct. 26, 2012 PrivateBank Credit Facility	Jul. 31, 2013 PrivateBank Credit Facility Subsequent event	Jan. 25, 2013 PrivateBank Credit Facility Subsequent event	Aug. 17, 2012 Contemporary Healthcare Senior item	Dec. 31, 2012 Contemporary Healthcare Senior	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior debt - guaranteed by HUD	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior debt - guaranteed by HUD	Jan. 31, 2012 HUD term loan	Dec. 31, 2012 HUD term loan	Dec. 31, 2012 HUD term loan Hearth & Home of Vandalia	Dec. 28, 2012 HUD term loan Ohio ALF	Dec. 31, 2012 HUD term loan Ohio ALF item	Feb. 28, 2013 HUD term loan CHP Subsequent event Lincoln Lodge Retirement Residence Sale Agreement	Dec. 31, 2012 Other Senior Debt - Guaranteed by HUD item	Dec. 31, 2012 Other Senior Debt - Guaranteed by HUD Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Other Senior Debt - Guaranteed by HUD Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior debt - guaranteed by SBA	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior debt - guaranteed by SBA	Dec. 31, 2012 CDC loan agreement	Jun. 30, 2012 CDC loan agreement Stone County	Dec. 31, 2012 CDC loan agreement Stone County	Dec. 31, 2012 Other Senior Debt - Guaranteed by SBA item	Dec. 31, 2012 Other Senior Debt - Guaranteed by SBA Minimum	Dec. 31, 2012 Other Senior Debt - Guaranteed by SBA Maximum	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior debt Bonds, net of discount	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior debt Bonds, net of discount	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior debt Bonds, net of discount Riverchase item	Dec. 31, 2012 Series 2012 Bonds Eaglewood Village	Apr. 30, 2012 Series 2012 Bonds Eaglewood Village	Dec. 31, 2012 Series 2012A Bonds	Apr. 30, 2012 Series 2012A Bonds Eaglewood Village	Dec. 31, 2012 Series 2012A Bonds Eaglewood Village	Dec. 31, 2012 Series 2012B Bonds	Apr. 30, 2012 Series 2012B Bonds Eaglewood Village	Dec. 31, 2012 Series 2012B Bonds Eaglewood Village	Jul. 31, 2012 Bond indenture Quail Creek	Dec. 31, 2012 Bond indenture Quail Creek	Dec. 31, 2012 Series 2010 Bonds Riverchase	Dec. 31, 2012 Series 2010 Bonds Minimum Riverchase	Dec. 31, 2012 Series 2010 Bonds Maximum Riverchase	Dec. 31, 2012 Series 2010 A Bonds Riverchase	Dec. 31, 2012 Series 2010 B Bonds Riverchase	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Debt - Other Mortgage Indebtedness	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Debt - Other Mortgage Indebtedness	Jan. 31, 2012 Mortgage Notes Woodland Manor	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgage Notes Woodland Manor	Sep. 20, 2012 Loan agreement with Private Bank	Apr. 30, 2012 Loan agreement with Private Bank Little Rock, Northridge and Woodland Hills	Dec. 31, 2012 Loan agreement with Private Bank Little Rock, Northridge and Woodland Hills item	Dec. 28, 2012 Loan agreement with Private Bank Little Rock, Northridge and Woodland Hills item	Jul. 31, 2012 Loan agreement with Private Bank Glenvue Acquisition	Dec. 31, 2012 Loan agreement with Private Bank Glenvue Acquisition	Jun. 30, 2012 Metro City Bank Loan	Jun. 30, 2012 Metro City Bank Loan Stone County item	Dec. 28, 2012 Metro City Bank Loan Abington Acquisition	Jun. 30, 2012 Metro City Bank Loan Abington Acquisition	Dec. 28, 2012 Metro City Bank Loan Sumter Valley and Georgetown	Dec. 31, 2012 Metro City Bank Loan Sumter Valley and Georgetown item	Dec. 31, 2012 Metro City Bank Loan Sumter Valley and Georgetown	Jun. 30, 2012 Metro City Bank Loan 1 Stone County	Jun. 30, 2012 Metro City Bank Loan 2 Stone County	Dec. 31, 2012 Metro City Bank Loan 2 Stone County	Aug. 31, 2012 Loan agreement with Contemporary Healthcare Capital Companions Specialized Care	Dec. 31, 2012 Loan agreement with Contemporary Healthcare Capital Companions Specialized Care	Dec. 31, 2012 KeyBank Credit Facility	Dec. 28, 2012 KeyBank Credit Facility	Dec. 31, 2012 KeyBank Credit Facility Northridge, Woodland Hills and Abington	Dec. 31, 2012 First Commercial Bank promissory note Northwest	Nov. 30, 2012 Fidelity Bank promissory note Hembree Road Building	Dec. 31, 2012 Fidelity Bank promissory note Hembree Road Building	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Debt - Other Mortgage Indebtedness item	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgage indebtedness on former corporate headquarters	Dec. 31, 2012 Other debt	Dec. 31, 2011 Other debt	Dec. 31, 2012 Other debt Georgetown Healthcare and Rehab	Dec. 31, 2012 Unsecured Promissory Note Sumter Valley Nursing and Rehab	Dec. 28, 2012 Unsecured Promissory Note Strome Alpha Offshore Ltd.	Apr. 30, 2012 Unsecured Promissory Note Strome Alpha Offshore Ltd.	Jul. 31, 2012 Unsecured Promissory Note Cantone Asset Management LLC item	Apr. 30, 2012 Unsecured Promissory Note Cantone Asset Management LLC	Mar. 31, 2012 Unsecured Promissory Note Cantone Asset Management LLC	Jan. 31, 2012 Unsecured Promissory Note Eaglewood Village item	Dec. 31, 2012 Unsecured Promissory Note Eaglewood Village	Dec. 31, 2012 Convertible debt	Jul. 31, 2012 Convertible debt Cantone Asset Management LLC	Nov. 30, 2011 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2010	Jul. 31, 2011 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2010	Oct. 29, 2010 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2010	Oct. 26, 2010 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2010 item	Dec. 31, 2011 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2010	Dec. 31, 2010 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2010	Apr. 25, 2012 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2010 Subsequent event	May 06, 2011 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2011	Apr. 29, 2011 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2011	Mar. 30, 2011 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2011	Mar. 31, 2011 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2011	Jul. 02, 2012 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2012	Dec. 31, 2012 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2012 Subordinated Convertible Notes Issued in 2012 Cantone Asset Management LLC	Dec. 31, 2012 Pinnacle Healthcare Promissory Notes	Dec. 31, 2012 Pinnacle Healthcare Promissory Notes March 1, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 Pinnacle Healthcare Promissory Notes June 1, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 Pinnacle Healthcare Promissory Notes September 1, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 Pinnacle Healthcare Promissory Notes December 1, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 Pinnacle Healthcare Promissory Notes March 1, 2014	Dec. 31, 2012 Mountain Trace Promissory Notes
NOTES PAYABLE AND OTHER DEBT
Total notes payable and other debt	$ 171,876,000	$ 117,242,000								$ 9,204,000	$ 8,651,000																	$ 9,699,000	$ 15,738,000										$ 28,370,000	$ 38,717,000			$ 6,189,000	$ 5,087,000							$ 16,265,000	$ 6,176,000																	$ 75,188,000	$ 24,063,000																													$ 4,004,000	$ 4,196,000																$ 10,948,000	$ 10,105,000							$ 4,509,000	$ 4,509,000		$ 7,500,000
Less current portion	19,387,000	11,909,000
Less portion included in liabilities of disposal group held for sale	3,662,000	240,000																														3,700,000
Notes payable and other debt, net of current portion	148,827,000	105,093,000
Scheduled Maturities
2013	23,661,000
2014	20,561,000
2015	30,888,000
2016	41,000,000
2017	3,750,000
Thereafter	52,789,000
Subtotal	172,649,000
Less: unamortized discounts	1,131,000																																																					200,000	300,000									200,000																																																				700,000
Plus: unamortized premiums	358,000																																																													400,000	400,000
Total notes payable and other debt	171,876,000	117,242,000								9,204,000	8,651,000																	9,699,000	15,738,000										28,370,000	38,717,000			6,189,000	5,087,000							16,265,000	6,176,000																	75,188,000	24,063,000																													4,004,000	4,196,000																10,948,000	10,105,000							4,509,000	4,509,000		7,500,000
Less: unamortized discounts classified as current	702,000
Plus: unamortized premiums classified as current	90,000
Number of credit facilities outstanding	20
Maximum borrowing capacity												7,500,000				2,000,000					10,600,000		10,600,000		10,600,000																																																																			16,500,000
Repayment of debt												4,200,000								700,000													6,400,000																																								2,000,000		8,100,000				1,300,000		3,400,000					1,300,000																	5,000,000		5,000,000
Floating interest rate, basis												LIBOR				LIBOR					Prime																		Prime																																	LIBOR			LIBOR			LIBOR			Prime				Prime			Prime			LIBOR							LIBOR
Spread on floating interest rate (as a percent)														4.75%	5.00%			4.75%	5.00%		1.00%																				1.00%	1.75%																														4.00%			4.00%			4.00%			2.25%			1.50%	1.50%			2.25%			4.25%							3.00%
Outstanding amount													7,300,000				1,300,000					7,700,000																									1,300,000																											21,800,000	13,700,000																																																	4,500,000
Maturity period																					3 years																								20 years
Letters of credit																					700,000		2,500,000	2,500,000
Variable interest rate floor (as a percent)																					5.00%																				5.50%	6.00%																														6.00%			6.00%			6.00%			6.25%				5.50%			6.25%						5.00%
Non-utilization fee percentage of the unused portion of the available credit																					0.50%
Number of wholly owned subsidiaries that entered into the loan agreement																										2																																																										2
Debt issued																										600,000				3,700,000																1,300,000											6,600,000			600,000		2,800,000									4,800,000			21,800,000			6,600,000					3,400,000	7,000,000			1,300,000	1,800,000		5,000,000					1,500,000	1,100,000						1,900,000	300,000		5,000,000		1,500,000	3,500,000	500,000			5,000,000			800,000	11,100,000					600,000	1,800,000	2,100,000				7,500,000		5,000,000
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)																										9.00%					3.74%														2.42%													7.65%			8.50%		10.25%																											8.50%						5.50%					7.00%	6.00%	10.00%						6.50%		8.00%							10.00%						10.00%		8.00%	8.00%		7.00%						11.00%
Debt instrument, outstanding amount																						7,700,000					200,000																					4,900,000								6,600,000		6,600,000	600,000		600,000		2,800,000				5,800,000	500,000				4,700,000			13,700,000			6,500,000						7,000,000	7,000,000			1,800,000		5,000,000	16,500,000		16,500,000	1,500,000		1,000,000																				11,700,000								4,500,000					1,200,000						200,000
Additional maturity extension period																																																																																											6 months
Deferred financing costs																														200,000						300,000			800,000				200,000					200,000							600,000																100,000			400,000			100,000					100,000					100,000		200,000								500,000
Prepayment penalties (as a percent)																															8.00%						3.50%	6.00%			8.00%	9.00%							2.48%	3.00%																						5.00%			5.00%													10.00%
Prepayment penalties, annual decline (as a percent)																															1.00%					1.00%			1.00%																																	1.00%			1.00%													1.00%
Number of assisted living facilities sold	6																																	6
Number of facilities																																				3			5									3																																																	5
Principal amount of the debt instrument								3,100,000																												6,000,000																															5,800,000	500,000																													17,300,000	200,000																															2,400,000						1,000,000
Monthly principal and interest payments																																				45,000			200,000									28,000																																																	100,000	3,000
Minimum interest rate (as a percent)																																				5.95%												2.42%																																																	6.00%
Maximum interest rate (as a percent)																																				7.25%												5.50%																																																	6.25%
Number of businesses sold					1	4	4
Liabilities consisting of debt																																			1,900,000
Percentage of debt insured																																									70.00%	80.00%						75.00%
Annual renewal fee for the USDA guarantee (as a percent)																																							0.25%										0.13%	0.25%
Prepayment penalties, annual decline capped (as a percent)																																							1.00%
Period over which prepayment penalties decline																																																10 years
Number of facilities securing the loan																																																																											3
Restricted assets related to the loan																																																						300,000																					1,800,000
Number of revenue bonds for which guarantee is given																																																					2
Annual redemption amount																																																																	75,000	100,000
Percentage of principal amount at which notes may be required to be repurchased by majority of debt holders																																																																	101.00%	103.00%																																																													110.00%
Percentage of principal amount at which debt may be required to be repurchased after May 31, 2015																																																																100.00%
Periodic interest payments																																																																38,000
Final payment required																																																																								4,300,000		19,700,000				6,400,000												5,000,000																			500,000
Effective interest rate (as a percent)																																																																7.90%
Number of promissory notes of which liability was released																																																																												2
Number of loan agreements																																																																																2
Prepayment penalty during year one (as a percent)																																																																																										5.00%
Prepayment penalty during year two (as a percent)																																																																																										1.00%
Number of wholly owned subsidiaries that issued debt																																																																																																												2
Number of promissory notes refinanced																																																																																																									2
Mandatory principal prepayment amount																																																																																																																																		250,000	250,000	250,000	250,000	150,000
Period of prior written notice for prepayment of loan																																																																																																																																							15 days
Proceeds, net of legal and other financing costs																																																																																																																																							900,000
Conversion price (in dollars per share)																																																																																																																				$ 3.92								$ 4.80			$ 3.97
Stock dividend (as a percent)			5.00%	5.00%																																																																																																																5.00%								5.00%			5.00%
Fair value of indebtedness									3,200,000																																																					3,200,000																																																						2,600,000
Amount of convertible notes converted into shares		150,000																																																																																																																		200,000			300,000
Number of allotments in which conversion was done																																																																																																																				2
Amount of convertible notes converted into shares in a single allotment																																																																																																																				100,000
Conversion price one (in dollar per share)																																																																																																																	$ 4.13						$ 3.73
Conversion price two (in dollar per share)																																																																																																																$ 3.73							$ 4.79
Number of shares converted, one																																																																																																																	18,160						73,669
Number of shares converted, two																																																																																																																19,132							10,438
Proceeds from convertible debt																																																																																																																											1,400,000
Debt issuance costs																																																																																																																													600,000
Period for conversion of debt instruments																																																																																																																															6 months
Number of trading days within 30 consecutive trading days required per the conversion eligibility terms																																																																																																																															20
Number of consecutive trading days required per the conversion eligibility terms																																																																																																																															30 days
Percentage of the conversion price that the weighted average price of the entity's common stock must exceed in order for the notes to be convertible																																																																																																																															200.00%
Average daily trading volume of the company's no par value common stock during 20 trading days in order for the notes to be convertible (in shares)																																																																																																																															50,000
Percentage of principal amount at which debt may be required to be repurchased																																																																																																																															100.00%
Amount of convertible debt scheduled to mature in 2013,2014 and 2015																																																																																																														$ 23,700,000
Number of shares of common stock required to be issued, if all of the convertible debt was converted to common stock																																																																																																														6,400,000
Percentage of stock dividend adjusted conversion price																																																																																																																				5.00%								5.00%