The first days after a hospital stay are when problems most often happen: a missed medication, a fall on the way to the bathroom, a symptom no one recognized. A little preparation makes a big difference.
Before discharge
- Ask for the discharge date as early as possible, and who to call with questions after hours.
- Get a written list of every medication: new, changed, and stopped.
- Confirm follow-up appointments and who is driving.
- Ask whether equipment is needed (walker, shower chair, raised toilet seat, hospital bed) and who is ordering it.
- Line up help at home before the first night. That's the night families most often wish they had.
Discharge day
- Pick up new prescriptions on the way home, or arrange delivery.
- Clear a path from the door to the bed and bathroom. Remove throw rugs and add night lights.
- Put the discharge papers somewhere everyone can find them.
The first week
- Compare the hospital medication list with the bottles at home. Get rid of old or duplicate medicines with the pharmacist's help.
- Use a pill organizer and a simple chart to track doses.
- Watch eating, drinking, bathroom habits, and sleep. Changes are early warning signs.
- Keep the follow-up appointment, even if your loved one feels fine.
Call the doctor promptly if you notice
- New confusion, extreme sleepiness, or a sudden change in behavior
- Fever, worsening pain, or redness or drainage at a wound
- Shortness of breath, swelling in the legs, or rapid weight gain
- A fall, even without an obvious injury
For an emergency, call 911.
Above All Community Health can have a caregiver in the home within 24–48 hours of discharge, with an RN review of the medication list. Request care.