The end of a hospital or rehabilitation stay is good news, and it is also the moment many families feel least prepared. Discharge can come quickly, and the first weeks at home are when a parent is most likely to be tired, unsteady and unsure of their routine. A plan made before discharge day makes a real difference.
Before discharge
- Ask the discharge planner or social worker what the recovery period will look like and what your parent will and will not be able to do at first.
- Write down instructions from the care team, including follow-up appointments and any therapy or medical services arranged through the hospital.
- Confirm who is providing any medical care at home (visiting nurses, therapists) and when they will come.
- Look at the home with fresh eyes: where will your parent sleep, bathe and spend the day, and can they get there safely?
- Stock the kitchen, and arrange for groceries and prescriptions your parent has organized with their pharmacy to be picked up.
The first week at home
Expect the first days to be slow. Fatigue is normal, and so is a dip in confidence. Keep visitors light, keep meals simple and regular, and keep a notebook of questions for the follow-up appointment. If your parent lives alone, this is the week when having someone in the house for part of the day matters most.
Where non-medical home support fits
Non-medical home care does not replace the nurses, therapists or physicians involved in recovery. It fills in around them: preparing meals, keeping the home tidy and safe, running errands, providing company and a steady presence, and helping your parent stick to the routine the care team has set out. It also gives family members who cannot be there all day the reassurance that someone is.
Watching for problems
Know who to call and when. Keep the care team’s numbers by the phone, and do not hesitate to contact them, or emergency services, if something seems wrong. A caregiver in the home can help by noticing changes and letting the family know promptly, but the medical decisions belong to your parent’s clinicians.
Planning for the longer term
Recovery is not always a straight line. Some parents return fully to their old routine; others find that a little ongoing help with meals, errands or personal care makes home life easier for good. Either way, a support arrangement that begins during recovery can be scaled down, continued or adjusted as needs become clear.
Need help determining what type of home care may be appropriate for your family? Call Home Care For All at 646-526-2648.