Identifiable Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended								3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2013 Home Health [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Home Health [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Hospice [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Hospice [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Hospice [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Hospice [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Community Care [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Home Health and Hospice [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Impairment of Intangible Assets [Member]	Oct. 18, 2013 Harden Healthcare Holdings Inc. [Member]	Oct. 18, 2013 Harden Healthcare Holdings Inc. [Member] Home Health [Member]	Oct. 18, 2013 Harden Healthcare Holdings Inc. [Member] Hospice [Member]	Oct. 18, 2013 Harden Healthcare Holdings Inc. [Member] Community Care [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Discount rate	9.90%												10.60%		9.50%		9.50%
Goodwill, intangibles and other long-lived asset impairment					$ (643,300,000)	$ (610,436,000)	[1]	$ (19,132,000)	[1]	$ (643,305,000)	[1]		$ (408,400,000)	$ (386,100,000)			$ (193,700,000)		$ 602,100,000	[1]
Goodwill	390,081,000		656,364,000		641,669,000	390,081,000		656,364,000		641,669,000		123,500,000	9,000,000	150,000,000		150,000,000	647,300,000	116,600,000				331,482,000	111,700,000	103,100,000	116,600,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, period increase (decrease)						(1,400,000)		(1,100,000)
Goodwill, Impairment Loss		220,800,000				600,636,000						0			220,800,000	600,636,000
Goodwill impairment test, net book value of reporting unit															555,000,000
Number of branches divested												46				13
Amortization expense						4,800,000		10,000,000		13,000,000
Estimated amortization expense for 2014	5,700,000					5,700,000
Estimated amortization expense for 2015	4,100,000					4,100,000
Estimated amortization expense for 2016	3,100,000					3,100,000
Estimated amortization expense for 2017	2,400,000					2,400,000
Estimated amortization expense for 2018	1,600,000					1,600,000
Impairment of intangible assets, finite-lived		224,300,000						19,100,000				6,000,000				13,100,000
Gain (loss) on sale of business			2,600,000	5,400,000		0		8,014,000		1,061,000											700,000
Operating expenses						$ 701,716,000		$ 655,766,000		$ 730,407,000											$ 400,000
Business Acquisition,Goodwill, Expected tax Deductible Percent																						20.00%

[1] The Company performed its annual impairment test as of December 31, 2013 for its Home Health, Hospice and Community Care segments. Based on this assessment, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges relating to the goodwill and intangibles of its Hospice segment of approximately $379.8 million and $6.3 million, respectively, for the year 2013.At March 31, 2013, the Company performed an interim impairment test of its Hospice reporting unit. Based on the results of the interim impairment test, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge relating to goodwill of approximately $220.8 million. As part of that analysis, the Company reviewed the valuation of its owned real estate utilized in the Hospice business. The analysis indicated that two of the Company's hospice inpatient units had estimated fair values lower than their carrying values and, as such, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge of approximately $1.9 million. In addition, the Company conducted an evaluation of the various systems used to support its field operations. In connection with that review, the Company made a strategic decision to replace its business intelligence software platform and, as such, recorded a non-cash impairment charge, related to developed software, of approximately $1.6 million. Hospice and corporate assets were reduced by $220.8 million and $3.5 million, respectively, as a result of these impairments.For the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges associated with a write-off of its trade name intangibles of $19.1 million in connection with the Company's initiative to re-brand its operations under the Gentiva name. Home Health and Hospice assets were reduced by $6.0 million and $13.1 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2012 as a result of the impairment.For the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges associated with goodwill, intangibles and other long-lived assets of $643.3 million. This charge was the result of (i) changes in the Company's business climate, (ii) uncertainties around Medicare reimbursement as the federal government worked to reduce the federal deficit, (iii) a significant decline in the price of the Company's common stock during the fiscal year, (iv) a write-down of software and (v) a change in the estimated fair value of real estate. Home Health, Hospice and corporate assets were reduced by $408.4 million, $193.7 million and $41.2 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2011, as a result of the impairment.