The first days after a hospital stay are when things most often go wrong: a prescription doesn't get filled, a follow-up appointment is missed, or a fall happens on the way to the bathroom at night. A little preparation prevents most of it.
Before discharge
- Meet the discharge planner or case manager. Ask whether home health has been ordered and which agency is being referred. You have the right to choose a Medicare-certified agency — you don't have to accept the first name on the list.
- Get the medication list in writing. Ask what's new, what's stopped, and what's changed in dose.
- Confirm follow-up appointments. Write down dates, times and who to call with questions.
- Ask about equipment. Walker, shower chair, raised toilet seat, hospital bed — arrange delivery before the trip home.
Prepare the home
- Clear pathways; remove throw rugs and cords.
- Set up a bedroom on the ground floor if stairs will be hard.
- Add night lights between bed and bathroom.
- Stock easy meals and fluids.
The first 48 hours
Pick up prescriptions on the way home if possible. Expect a call from the home health agency to schedule the first visit, usually within a day or two. If no one calls, call them. TideCare's article on the first 48 hours after discharge covers this window in detail.
The first week
- Keep a notebook: symptoms, medications taken, questions for the nurse.
- Watch for warning signs your discharge papers list — fever, new shortness of breath, confusion, swelling, uncontrolled pain — and call the doctor promptly.
- Decide whether you need more help than home health visits provide. If bathing, meals or overnight supervision are a struggle, a home care aide for a few hours a day can fill the gap.
Choosing an agency quickly
If you're comparing agencies on short notice, our Norfolk directory and area pages list phone numbers and hours so you can call several in one sitting. Agencies that specialize in transitions, such as TideCare's hospital-to-home care in Norfolk, can often coordinate directly with the discharge team.
