Operating Income of Reportable Segments (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net service revenue	$ 305,006,000	$ 315,960,000	$ 603,745,000	$ 644,562,000
Cost of service, excluding depreciation and amortization	172,520,000	177,760,000	349,527,000	363,427,000
General and administrative expenses	108,000,000	117,700,000	234,300,000	241,300,000
Provision for doubtful accounts	4,242,000	4,639,000	9,135,000	8,493,000
Depreciation and amortization	7,692,000	9,411,000	15,594,000	19,381,000
Other intangibles impairment charge	0	2,286,000	2,208,000	2,286,000
Operating expenses	292,445,000	311,710,000	610,757,000	634,945,000
Operating income (loss)	12,561,000	4,250,000	(7,012,000)	9,617,000
Home Health [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net service revenue	243,500,000	250,500,000	480,200,000	512,500,000
Cost of service, excluding depreciation and amortization	139,300,000	143,200,000	283,300,000	293,700,000
General and administrative expenses	67,200,000	76,000,000	143,200,000	156,100,000
Provision for doubtful accounts	3,700,000	3,000,000	7,700,000	4,900,000
Depreciation and amortization	2,300,000	2,700,000	4,900,000	5,400,000
Other intangibles impairment charge	0	2,300,000	1,200,000	2,300,000
Operating expenses	212,500,000	227,200,000	440,300,000	462,400,000
Operating income (loss)	31,000,000	23,300,000	39,900,000	50,100,000
Hospice [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net service revenue	61,500,000	65,400,000	123,500,000	132,000,000
Cost of service, excluding depreciation and amortization	33,200,000	34,500,000	66,200,000	69,700,000
General and administrative expenses	14,100,000	15,900,000	30,300,000	33,100,000
Provision for doubtful accounts	500,000	1,600,000	1,400,000	3,600,000
Depreciation and amortization	600,000	500,000	1,100,000	1,100,000
Other intangibles impairment charge	0	0	1,000,000	0
Operating expenses	48,400,000	52,500,000	100,000,000	107,500,000
Operating income (loss)	13,100,000	12,900,000	23,500,000	24,500,000
All Other Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net service revenue	0	0	0	0
Cost of service, excluding depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative expenses	26,700,000	25,800,000	60,800,000	52,100,000
Provision for doubtful accounts	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	4,800,000	6,200,000	9,600,000	12,900,000
Other intangibles impairment charge	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	31,500,000	32,000,000	70,400,000	65,000,000
Operating income (loss)	$ (31,500,000)	$ (32,000,000)	$ (70,400,000)	$ (65,000,000)