The Hospital Says Dad Can Go Home Tomorrow. Are You Ready?

The hospital has said your loved one can go home tomorrow. Everyone is relieved. Then someone asks a very fair question: “Who is actually going to look after them when we get home?”

Going home is good news, but it does not always mean a person can immediately return to their normal routine. After surgery, a stroke or a serious illness, they may need help with medicines, meals, bathing, movement, wound care or appointments.

Before discharge, make sure your family understands what has changed, what care is needed and when to get medical help.

Before leaving hospital: ask these eight questions

1. What exactly was treated, and what is the diagnosis? Ask for a discharge summary or written instructions.
2. What medicines should the person take now? Confirm the name, dose, timing, duration and any changes from their old medicines.
3. What signs mean we should call the treating team? Which signs mean we should return immediately for emergency care?
4. When is the follow-up appointment, and with which department or clinician?
5. Can the person walk, stand, bathe and use the toilet safely without assistance?
6. Are there wounds, dressings, drains, catheters or other procedures to manage? Who is qualified to handle them?
7. What food, fluids, exercise or movement restrictions apply? Ask about swallowing safety if relevant.
8. Who can we contact if we have a problem after discharge? Save the correct contact details.

Prepare the house for the person coming home

Do not prepare the house for the person they were before the illness. Prepare it for what they can safely do today.

• Clear the path between their bed, bathroom and sitting area.
• Make sure the bathroom is accessible, well lit and not slippery.
• Arrange a suitable sleeping area if stairs are now difficult.
• Place phone, water and approved essentials within easy reach.
• Have required equipment, dressings and approved medicines ready.
• Check the practical realities: who is home, who can transport them, and what happens during power outages.

Sort out the medicines before everyone gets home

One of the easiest mistakes is continuing an old medicine that the hospital has changed, or missing the first dose of a new one. Ask the hospital team or pharmacist to go through the complete current list. Record times clearly and decide who will help the person take medicines safely.

If the person cannot swallow safely, do not crush tablets or change how they take medicines without a clinician or pharmacist advising you. Some tablets must not be crushed.

Who is looking after them on the first night?

This question deserves a real answer, not “someone will be around.” Decide whether the person can safely be alone, who will help with the toilet, who knows the medicine schedule, and who can get help if something changes. If care is complex, make arrangements before the discharge date.

When should you consider a home nurse?

A registered nurse may be appropriate if the discharge plan includes clinical procedures, complicated wound care, injections, catheter care or other needs that require nursing skills. Someone needing meals, bathing assistance and companionship may need a trained caregiver rather than a nurse. The hospital’s instructions and a proper home assessment should guide the decision.

Warning signs: when to seek help

Follow the specific emergency instructions from the treating hospital. Serious symptoms such as severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, new stroke-like symptoms, uncontrolled bleeding or loss of consciousness need immediate emergency medical attention. Fever, worsening wound redness, unusual discharge or increasing pain should be reported promptly to the treating clinician; urgency depends on the situation.

The discharge-day checklist to screenshot

• Written discharge summary or instructions received
• Current medicines and doses confirmed
• Follow-up date, location and contact saved
• Warning signs and emergency plan understood
• Suitable transport arranged
• Bedroom and bathroom made safe
• Caregiver or nurse arranged if needed
• Family member responsible for the first-day plan identified

How Insyt FamilyCare can help

Insyt FamilyCare supports planned recovery at home after hospital discharge. Our nurse-led assessment helps families understand what type of staff and schedule may be suitable. We do not provide emergency hospital services.