Hospital discharge in 72 hours
What to ask, what to order and what to fix at home, in the order that actually works.
Use it when: The ward has said your parent is medically ready to go home.
Before you agree to a date
- Ask for the discharge summary in writing
- Ask for the medication list, including anything stopped
- Get the name and number of the discharge coordinator
- Ask which care tasks are needed, in their wordsWound care, injections and catheters mean a nurse. Everything else is usually a PSW.
- Ask whether a referral to Ontario Health atHome has been made
Equipment — the usual bottleneck
- Raised toilet seat or commode
- Walker or wheelchair, correctly sized
- Transfer belt, and a lift if two people are needed
- Hospital bed, if stairs or bed height are a problem
- Confirm the delivery date before the discharge dateEquipment routinely takes longer to arrive than care does.
Care for the first ten days
- Book private care from day one
- Start the Ontario Health atHome assessment the same day
- Ask each provider to confirm they can start on your date'We should be able to' is not a yes.
- Agree who is on call overnight for the first three nights
The house, before they arrive
- Clear the route from bed to bathroom
- Take up loose rugs and trailing cables
- Put a light and a phone within reach of the bed
- Move daily items to waist height
- Fill the prescriptions — do not leave it until the drive home
- Put emergency numbers somewhere visible