Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Accounting Policies	Accounting Policies Nature of Operations: Invacare Corporation is a leading manufacturer and distributor of medical equipment used in the home based upon the company’s distribution channels, breadth of product line and net sales. The company designs, manufactures and distributes an extensive line of health care products for the non-acute care environment, including the home health care, retail and extended care markets. Principles of Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the company and its wholly owned subsidiaries and include all adjustments, which were of a normal recurring nature, necessary to present fairly the financial position of the company as of September 30, 2016 and the results of its operations and changes in its cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Certain foreign subsidiaries, represented by the European segment, are consolidated using an August 31 quarter end in order to meet filing deadlines. No material subsequent events have occurred related to the European segment, which would require disclosure or adjustment to the company's financial statements. All significant intercompany transactions are eliminated. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. Use of Estimates: The consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, which require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results may differ from these estimates. Recent Accounting Pronouncements: In April 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-08 changing the presentation of discontinued operations on the statements of income and other requirements for reporting discontinued operations. Under the new standard, a disposal of a component or a group of components of an entity is required to be reported in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results when the component meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale or is disposed. The amendments in this update also require additional disclosures about discontinued operations and disposal of an individually significant component of an entity that does not qualify for discontinued operations. This standard was required to be prospectively applied to all reporting periods presented in financial reports issued after the effective date. This standard can impact the presentation of the company's financial statements but does not affect the calculation of net income, comprehensive income or earnings per share. The company adopted ASU 2014-08 effective January 1, 2015 which impacted the company’s Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss), Balance Sheets and Statement of Cash Flows. Specifically, the disposal by the company of its United States Rentals businesses, in the third quarter of 2015 and the GCM disposal in the third quarter of 2016, were not deemed to be discontinued operations. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers." ASU 2014-09 requires a company to recognize revenue when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. The guidance requires five steps to be applied: 1) identify the contract(s) with customers, 2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, 3) determine the transaction price, 4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligation in the contract and 5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. The guidance also requires both quantitative and qualitative disclosures, which are more comprehensive than existing revenue standards. The disclosures are intended to enable financial statement users to understand the nature, timing and uncertainty of revenue and the related cash flow. An entity can apply the new revenue standard retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or retrospective with the cumulative effect of initially applying the standard recognized at the date of initial application in retained earnings. The new accounting guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, due to an approved one-year deferral, and early adoption is permitted. The company is currently reviewing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-09 on the company's financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, "Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs." ASU 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs to be presented on the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability, which is similar to the presentation of debt discounts or premiums. ASU 2015-03 does not change the recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs and requires retrospective application to all periods presented upon adoption. Amortization of debt fees are reflected as interest expense on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income (Loss). The company adopted ASU 2015-03 effective January 1, 2016 which did not have a material impact on the company's financial statements. See "Reclassifications" disclosure below for the amounts reclassified from Selling, General and Administrative expenses to Interest Expense. In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity's Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” which requires management to assess the company's ability to continue as a going concern and, in certain circumstances, provide footnote disclosure. This update is effective for annual reporting periods ending after December 15, 2016, and all annual and interim periods thereafter. The company is currently reviewing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-15. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, “Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory,” to simplify the subsequent measurement of inventory. After effectiveness of this update, entities will be required to subsequently measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value rather than at the lower of cost or market. This update is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those annual periods, and early adoption is permitted. The company is currently reviewing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2015-11 on the company's financial statements but does not currently believe it will a material impact on the company's financial statements. In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, "Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes." ASU 2015-17 requires deferred tax assets and liabilities to be classified as noncurrent amounts on the balance sheet. The new accounting guidance is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and early adoption is permitted. The company adopted ASU 2015-17, on a prospective basis, effective October 1, 2015 and thus the company's deferred tax assets and liabilities have been classified as long-term in its Balance Sheet for all periods presented. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, "Leases." ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to put most leases on their balance sheet while recognizing expense in a manner similar to existing accounting. The new accounting guidance is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and early adoption is permitted. The company is currently reviewing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on the company's financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, "Compensation – Stock Compensation: Topic 718: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting." ASU 2016-09 is intended to simplify several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. This pronouncement is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The company does not believe the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-09 will have a material impact on the company's financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, "Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Statements." ASU 2016-13 requires a new credit loss standard for most financial assets and certain other instruments. For example, entities will be required to use an "expected loss" model that will generally require earlier recognition of allowances for losses for trade receivables. The standard also requires additional disclosures, including disclosures regarding how an entity tracks credit quality. The amendments in the pronouncement are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Entities may early adopt the amendments as of fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The company is currently reviewing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-09 on the company's financial statements. Reclassifications: The company has historically classified the amortization of debt issuance costs as a component of Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses. During the second quarter of 2016, the company determined that it is more appropriate to classify this amortization as a component of Interest Expense. Therefore, Interest Expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 has been increased by $137,000 and $997,000, respectively, with a corresponding decrease to SG&A expenses. The amortization of debt issuance costs of $379,000 for the first three months of 2016 was previously included in SG&A expenses but has now been included in Interest Expense. Total debt amortization fees for the for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 were $1,435,000. There was no change to Loss from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes for any period presented.

Accounting Policies

Nature of Operations: Invacare Corporation is a leading manufacturer and distributor of medical equipment used in the home based upon the company’s distribution channels, breadth of product line and net sales. The company designs, manufactures and distributes an extensive line of health care products for the non-acute care environment, including the home health care, retail and extended care markets.

Principles of Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the company and its wholly owned subsidiaries and include all adjustments, which were of a normal recurring nature, necessary to present fairly the financial position of the company as of September 30, 2016 and the results of its operations and changes in its cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Certain foreign subsidiaries, represented by the European segment, are consolidated using an August 31 quarter end in order to meet filing deadlines. No material subsequent events have occurred related to the European segment, which would require disclosure or adjustment to the company's financial statements. All significant intercompany transactions are eliminated. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

Use of Estimates: The consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, which require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements: In April 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-08 changing the presentation of discontinued operations on the statements of income and other requirements for reporting discontinued operations. Under the new standard, a disposal of a component or a group of components of an entity is required to be reported in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results when the component meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale or is disposed. The amendments in this update also require additional disclosures about discontinued operations and disposal of an individually significant component of an entity that does not qualify for discontinued operations. This standard was required to be prospectively applied to all reporting periods presented in financial reports issued after the effective date. This standard can impact the presentation of the company's financial statements but does not affect the calculation of net income, comprehensive income or earnings per share. The company adopted ASU 2014-08 effective January 1, 2015 which impacted the company’s Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss), Balance Sheets and Statement of Cash Flows. Specifically, the disposal by the company of its United States Rentals businesses, in the third quarter of 2015 and the GCM disposal in the third quarter of 2016, were not deemed to be discontinued operations.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers." ASU 2014-09 requires a company to recognize revenue when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. The guidance requires five steps to be applied: 1) identify the contract(s) with customers, 2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, 3) determine the transaction price, 4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligation in the contract and 5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. The guidance also requires both quantitative and qualitative disclosures, which are more comprehensive than existing revenue standards. The disclosures are intended to enable financial statement users to understand the nature, timing and uncertainty of revenue and the related cash flow. An entity can apply the new revenue standard retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or retrospective with the cumulative effect of initially applying the standard recognized at the date of initial application in retained earnings. The new accounting guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, due to an approved one-year deferral, and early adoption is permitted. The company is currently reviewing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-09 on the company's financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, "Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs." ASU 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs to be presented on the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability, which is similar to the presentation of debt discounts or premiums. ASU 2015-03 does not change the recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs and requires retrospective application to all periods presented upon adoption. Amortization of debt fees are reflected as interest expense on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income (Loss). The company adopted ASU 2015-03 effective January 1, 2016 which did not have a material impact on the company's financial statements. See "Reclassifications" disclosure below for the amounts reclassified from Selling, General and Administrative expenses to Interest Expense.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity's Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” which requires management to assess the company's ability to continue as a going concern and, in certain circumstances, provide footnote disclosure. This update is effective for annual reporting periods ending after December 15, 2016, and all annual and interim periods thereafter. The company is currently reviewing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-15.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, “Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory,” to simplify the subsequent measurement of inventory. After effectiveness of this update, entities will be required to subsequently measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value rather than at the lower of cost or market. This update is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those annual periods, and early adoption is permitted. The company is currently reviewing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2015-11 on the company's financial statements but does not currently believe it will a material impact on the company's financial statements.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, "Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes." ASU 2015-17 requires deferred tax assets and liabilities to be classified as noncurrent amounts on the balance sheet. The new accounting guidance is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and early adoption is permitted. The company adopted ASU 2015-17, on a prospective basis, effective October 1, 2015 and thus the company's deferred tax assets and liabilities have been classified as long-term in its Balance Sheet for all periods presented.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, "Leases." ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to put most leases on their balance sheet while recognizing expense in a manner similar to existing accounting. The new accounting guidance is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and early adoption is permitted. The company is currently reviewing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on the company's financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, "Compensation – Stock Compensation: Topic 718: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting." ASU 2016-09 is intended to simplify several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. This pronouncement is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The company does not believe the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-09 will have a material impact on the company's financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, "Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Statements." ASU 2016-13 requires a new credit loss standard for most financial assets and certain other instruments. For example, entities will be required to use an "expected loss" model that will generally require earlier recognition of allowances for losses for trade receivables. The standard also requires additional disclosures, including disclosures regarding how an entity tracks credit quality. The amendments in the pronouncement are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Entities may early adopt the amendments as of fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The company is currently reviewing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-09 on the company's financial statements.

Reclassifications: The company has historically classified the amortization of debt issuance costs as a component of Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses. During the second quarter of 2016, the company determined that it is more appropriate to classify this amortization as a component of Interest Expense. Therefore, Interest Expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 has been increased by $137,000 and $997,000, respectively, with a corresponding decrease to SG&A expenses. The amortization of debt issuance costs of $379,000 for the first three months of 2016 was previously included in SG&A expenses but has now been included in Interest Expense. Total debt amortization fees for the for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 were $1,435,000. There was no change to Loss from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes for any period presented.