Preparing a home for a return from hospital

Leaving hospital is good news, but it can also be the moment when a family realises how much the person will need. Someone who walked into hospital may come home weaker, on new medicines, with a wound to look after, or simply exhausted. Planning ahead turns a rush into a handover.

Hospitals and doctors decide when a person is ready to go home and what treatment they need. This guide is about the practical side: what to ask, what to prepare, and how to organise support at home.

Before the person leaves hospital

Try to have these conversations with the ward team a day or two before discharge, not as you're leaving.

• Ask for the discharge summary (sometimes called a discharge letter). It explains why the person was admitted, what treatment they had and what should happen next. Keep it safe and take it to follow-up appointments.
• Understand the medicines. Which are new, which have stopped, which have changed dose, and how long each should be taken. Ask what to do if a dose is missed.
• Ask how long the supply lasts, and how to get more before it runs out.
• Check wound or dressing instructions, if there is a wound, drain, catheter or stoma. Ask what signs of infection to look out for.
• Ask about activity. How much should they walk? Are there movements to avoid? Are there exercises from a physiotherapist?
• Find out about follow-up. Dates of clinic appointments, tests, or stitches to be removed.
• Ask who to call if you have questions after discharge, and at what point you should come back to hospital.

Write the answers down. In the rush of going home it's easy to forget what was said.

Getting the room ready

If possible, prepare a room on the ground floor, close to a toilet.

• A bed at a height where the person can sit with their feet flat on the floor.
• Space on both sides of the bed for someone to help.
• A clear, well-lit route from bed to toilet, with a light that works at night.
• A small table within reach for water, glasses, phone and medicines list.
• A way to call for help: a phone within reach, or a simple bell.
• A fan or good ventilation, and curtains to keep the room cool during the hottest hours.
• Clean bedding, and spare sets if continence may be a problem.

The bathroom and toilet

Many falls happen in the bathroom. Before the person comes home:

• Put a non-slip mat in the shower area and remove loose rugs.
• Consider a sturdy chair or stool for washing, and grab rails if they can be fitted.
• If getting to the toilet at night will be hard, think about a commode by the bed for the first weeks.
• Keep the floor dry, and keep towels and toiletries within easy reach.

Equipment and power

The hospital may recommend equipment such as a walking frame, a commode, a wheelchair or a special mattress. Ask where it can be obtained and make sure it's in place, and in working order, before the person arrives.

If any equipment needs electricity, such as a fan, a nebuliser or an air mattress, plan for power cuts: what will you do if the power goes off, and is there a backup? Mention any electrical equipment during a care assessment so it can be included in the plan.

Food, drink and medicines

• Stock the kitchen with easy meals the person likes, and follow any diet advice from the hospital (for example less salt, or controlled sugar).
• Keep drinks within reach. People recovering at home, especially older people and especially in hot weather, are at risk of dehydration. Dark urine, dizziness and tiredness can be signs.
• Set up a medicines routine. Keep medicines in one safe place, with an up-to-date list. A pharmacist can explain new medicines. Our guide to medication support explains the difference between reminders and medicines given by a nurse.

Who will help, and when

The first few days are often the hardest. Agree as a family:

If family can't cover everything, support after a hospital stay can include a nurse for clinical tasks such as wound care, and caregivers for daily help. Household support can keep meals, laundry and cleaning going while the family focuses on the person.

Warning signs after discharge

Follow the hospital's advice about when to seek help. In general, contact the person's doctor or the hospital promptly if you notice:

• a wound that becomes red, hot, swollen, smelly or starts to leak;
• a new fever or shivering;
• new or worsening pain;
• sudden confusion or unusual drowsiness;
• difficulty breathing, or chest pain;
• not passing urine, or not eating and drinking.

In an emergency, call 112 (ambulance 193) or go to the nearest emergency department.

A simple discharge checklist

• Discharge summary in hand
• Medicines list, with what's new, stopped or changed
• Enough medicine, and a plan for more
• Wound, catheter or equipment instructions
• Follow-up appointment dates
• Room ready, route to the toilet clear and lit
• Bathroom made safer
• Equipment in place and working, with a plan for power cuts
• Food and drinks in the house
• A named family contact and a rota for the first week

Sources

1. Being discharged from hospital, NHS (UK) (checked Invalid Date).
2. Falls: prevention, NHS (UK) (checked Invalid Date).
3. Dehydration, NHS (UK) (checked Invalid Date).

This guide is general information, not medical advice for a particular person. Talk to the person's doctor about their health, treatment and medicines.