Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
PATIENT REVENUES, net	$ 426,063,000	$ 387,595,000	$ 344,192,000
EXPENSES:
Operating	342,932,000	311,035,000	275,605,000
Lease and rent expense	33,364,000	28,690,000	26,151,000
Professional liability	8,456,000	8,122,000	7,216,000
General and administrative	30,271,000	24,793,000	22,133,000
Depreciation and amortization	8,292,000	7,524,000	7,078,000
Lease termination costs	2,008,000	0	0
Total expenses	425,323,000	380,164,000	338,183,000
OPERATING INCOME	740,000	7,431,000	6,009,000
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Equity in net income (losses) of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	273,000	339,000	(5,000)
Gain on sale of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	1,366,000	0	0
Interest expense, net	(4,802,000)	(4,102,000)	(3,697,000)
Debt retirement costs	(351,000)	0	0
Total other income (expense)	(3,514,000)	(3,763,000)	(3,702,000)
INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(2,774,000)	3,668,000	2,307,000
BENEFIT (PROVISION) FOR INCOME TAXES	1,030,000	(916,000)	(857,000)
INCOME (LOSS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	(1,744,000)	2,752,000	1,450,000
INCOME (LOSS) FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS:
Operating loss, net of income tax benefit of $41,000, $375,000 and $878,000, respectively	(67,000)	(1,128,000)	(1,486,000)
Gain on disposal, net of income tax provision of $0, $0 and $2,802,000, respectively	0	0	4,744,000
INCOME (LOSS) FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	(67,000)	(1,128,000)	3,258,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(1,811,000)	1,624,000	4,708,000
Less: net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	25,000
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO DIVERSICARE HEALTHCARE SERVICES, INC.	(1,811,000)	1,624,000	4,733,000
PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS	0	0	(220,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS) FOR DIVERSICARE HEALTHCARE SERVICES, INC. COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	$ (1,811,000)	$ 1,624,000	$ 4,513,000
Per common share – basic
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.28)	$ 0.45	$ 0.21
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.01)	(0.18)	0.54
Net income (loss) (in dollars per share)	(0.29)	0.27	0.75
Per common share – diluted
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(0.28)	0.44	0.20
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.01)	(0.18)	0.52
Diluted net income (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	(0.29)	0.26	0.72
DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK (in dollars per share)	$ 0.22	$ 0.22	$ 0.22
WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING:
Basic weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)	6,199	6,100	6,011
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)	6,199	6,315	6,197