My parent is coming home from the hospital. What do I need to set up?

What discharge planning is — and your right to a plan

Discharge planning is the work of getting your parent ready to leave the hospital safely. A nurse, social worker, or case manager usually leads it. Their job is to figure out what care is needed next, and where that care will happen.

You have a right to be part of this. Ask who the discharge planner is on day one, and ask to be included in the plan. If the timing feels rushed or unsafe, you can say so. You can also ask for the plan in writing so you can read it at home.

If your parent was admitted to the hospital, staff must give them a notice about their rights. It is called "An Important Message from Medicare." Think they are being sent home too soon? The notice tells you how to ask for a fast review. Someone outside the hospital decides.

A good plan covers what is wrong, in plain words. It lists the medicines to take and the follow-up visits. It names the warning signs to watch for and who to call with questions.

Questions to ask before discharge

Write these down and ask them before your parent leaves: What exactly happened, and what has changed? What can my parent do on their own, and what will they need help with? Are there new medicines, and how and when are they taken?

Also ask: What follow-up appointments are needed, and who schedules them? What equipment do we need at home, and how do we get it? Are we set up for any therapy — physical, occupational, or speech? What symptoms mean we should call the doctor, and which mean we call 911?

There are no silly questions here. If an answer is confusing, ask them to say it again in plainer words.

Setting up the home

Small changes make a home much safer. Clear walking paths, remove loose rugs, and add good lighting on the route to the bathroom. Think about where your parent will sleep, and whether stairs are a problem for now.

You may need things like a walker, a raised toilet seat, a shower chair, or a hospital bed. The hospital may set up some of these before your parent leaves. For anything you get on your own, our equipment page lists Medicare-approved suppliers near you.

Home health vs. home care

These sound alike but are different. Home health is skilled, doctor-ordered care — a nurse or therapist visiting for a limited time to help someone recover. Home care (sometimes called personal care) is help with daily living: bathing, dressing, meals, and company. It is usually not medical.

Many families use both. Our guide on staying at home vs. a care facility walks through how to weigh the options as needs change.

Who pays

This is where families are most often surprised. Medicare may pay for a short stretch of skilled home health after a hospital stay. But it usually does not pay for ongoing help at home that is not medical. Our guide on what Medicare and Medicaid pay for explains it in plain words before any bills come.

Checklist

• Ask who the discharge planner is and get included in the plan.
• Get the discharge instructions in writing.
• Make a current medicine list — names, doses, and times.
• Confirm and write down every follow-up appointment.
• Arrange any equipment needed (walker, bed, shower chair).
• Set up the home: clear paths, lighting, remove loose rugs.
• Ask whether home health or home care is being arranged, and by whom.
• Write down the warning signs and the phone numbers to call.

Common questions