Important Considerations for the First Days and Weeks at Home

Bringing a parent home from the hospital can feel like a relief—but it can also be the beginning of a challenging new phase of caregiving.

Suddenly, the family may be responsible for medications, appointments, transportation, meals, mobility, wound care, medical equipment, and watching for changes in their loved one’s condition.

The transition from hospital to home is a process, not a single event.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) identifies the transition from hospital to home as an important period for medication management, follow-up care, communication, and identifying problems that may arise after discharge.

If you’re caring for an aging parent, these steps can help you feel more organized and prepared.

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The First 24 Hours: Focus on the Basics

You don’t have to solve everything on the first day.

Start with the most important priorities:

1. Make sure your parent gets settled safely.

Before they arrive, make sure the home is ready.

Consider:

• Clear pathways for walking
• Adequate lighting
• A safe place to sleep
• Bathroom accessibility
• Shower or bath safety
• Mobility equipment
• Medication storage
• Food and water
• Phone access
• Emergency contact information

If your parent uses a walker, wheelchair, oxygen, hospital bed, or other equipment, make sure it is available and ready to use.

The Illinois Department on Aging notes that durable medical equipment such as hospital beds, wheelchairs, and walkers may be part of the transition from hospital to home and identifies resources available to caregivers.

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2. Review the Discharge Instructions

Don’t put the hospital paperwork in a drawer and forget about it.

Sit down with your parent and review:

• Diagnosis
• Treatment provided
• Medications
• Follow-up appointments
• Activity restrictions
• Dietary instructions
• Wound care
• Therapy
• Home health services
• Warning signs
• Important phone numbers

If something doesn’t make sense, contact the appropriate healthcare professional.

AHRQ recommends that patients and caregivers understand the after-hospital care plan, including medications, follow-up appointments, warning signs, and what to do if a problem develops.

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3. Go Through Every Medication

Medication changes are one of the most important things to address after a hospitalization.

Your parent may have started new medications, stopped medications they previously took, or had doses changed.

Create one current medication list.

For each medication, write down:

• Medication name
• Dose
• How often it is taken
• Time it should be taken
• What it is for
• Special instructions
• Important side effects to watch for

Also include:

• Over-the-counter medications
• Vitamins
• Supplements
• Other products your parent regularly uses

AHRQ identifies medication reconciliation as an important component of safe transitions of care and recommends checking for discrepancies between medication lists.

Don’t guess.

If the discharge paperwork says something different from what your parent was taking before hospitalization, contact the appropriate healthcare professional for clarification before making changes.

Do not independently stop, restart, or change prescription medications unless instructed by a qualified healthcare professional.

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4. Make Sure Prescriptions Were Filled

Don’t assume that a prescription was automatically filled before your parent came home.

Check:

☐ Were all prescriptions filled?

☐ Does your parent have enough medication?

☐ Does the pharmacy have the prescriptions?

☐ Is anything waiting for prior authorization?

☐ Can your parent afford the medications?

☐ Does anyone need to pick them up?

Medication access can become a practical barrier to following a discharge plan. AHRQ’s transition-of-care resources specifically identify problems such as difficulty obtaining medications, confusing instructions, and discrepancies between medication lists as issues that may need to be addressed.

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5. Confirm Follow-Up Appointments

Don’t wait several weeks to figure out what appointments are needed.

Create a calendar for:

• Primary care
• Specialists
• Laboratory testing
• Imaging
• Therapy
• Home health
• Wound care
• Other follow-up services

Write down:

Provider: ______________________

Date: _________________________

Time: _________________________

Location: ______________________

Reason: ________________________

Transportation: _________________

AHRQ recommends confirming appointments, dates, times, locations, purposes, and the patient’s ability to get to those appointments.

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6. Ask About Pending Test Results

Your parent may leave the hospital before all test results are available.

Find out:

• What tests are still pending?
• Who will receive the results?
• Who will review them?
• When should you expect them?
• Who should you contact if you don’t hear anything?

Write this information down.

Don’t assume that someone will automatically call.

Follow-up of pending tests is an important part of safe transitions from hospital care to outpatient care.

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7. Watch for Changes in Your Parent’s Condition

The first days at home are a time to pay attention to changes.

Ask the healthcare team what symptoms are specifically important for your parent’s condition.

Depending on the illness or procedure, you may need to monitor for things such as:

• Increasing pain
• Fever
• New or worsening confusion
• Difficulty breathing
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Falls
• Bleeding
• Swelling
• Changes in eating or drinking
• Medication side effects
• Worsening of the original symptoms

Don’t rely on a generic internet list of warning signs.

Ask the healthcare team:

“What specific changes should cause us to call you?”

And:

“What symptoms mean we should seek emergency care?”

If you believe your parent is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

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8. Don’t Underestimate Fall Risk

A parent who was independent before hospitalization may not be as steady afterward.

They may be weaker, dizzy, tired, confused, or taking medications that affect balance or alertness.

Look around the home for potential hazards:

• Loose rugs
• Clutter
• Poor lighting
• Electrical cords
• Stairs
• Slippery bathroom surfaces
• Furniture that is difficult to navigate around

Ask the healthcare team whether your parent needs assistance with walking or transfers.

If physical or occupational therapy was recommended, make sure you understand when and where it will occur.

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9. Make Sure Home Services Actually Arrive

If home health, therapy, nursing, equipment, or other services were ordered, don’t simply assume everything is arranged.

Confirm:

☐ The agency received the referral.

☐ Someone has contacted you.

☐ You know when services begin.

☐ Required equipment has arrived.

☐ You know who to call with questions.

AHRQ’s post-discharge guidance specifically recommends checking whether scheduled home services and durable medical equipment have been received and whether caregivers are available as expected.

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10. Be Honest About What You Can Handle

This may be one of the most important things a family caregiver can do.

Ask yourself:

Can I realistically provide the care my parent needs?

Consider:

• Medication management
• Bathing
• Dressing
• Toileting
• Meal preparation
• Transportation
• Mobility assistance
• Wound care
• Medical equipment
• Overnight supervision
• Appointment management

If you work full-time, have children, live far away, or have other responsibilities, be realistic about what you can provide.

Being a loving child does not mean you are automatically equipped to provide every level of medical or personal care.

If the plan isn’t realistic, communicate that to the healthcare team and explore available resources.

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The First Week: Get Organized

Once your parent is settled, create a simple healthcare organization system.

Keep One Healthcare Folder

Include:

Medical Information

• Diagnoses
• Hospital discharge paperwork
• Procedure information
• Test results
• Pending test information

Medication Information

• Current medication list
• Medication changes
• Pharmacy information
• Questions for the doctor

Appointments

• Dates
• Times
• Locations
• Provider names
• Transportation arrangements

Contacts

• Primary care provider
• Specialists
• Pharmacy
• Home health
• Therapy
• Equipment providers
• Important family contacts

Insurance

• Insurance information
• Medicare information, if applicable
• Supplemental insurance
• Important billing information

Keeping information organized can make communication between family members and healthcare professionals easier.

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Schedule a Medication Review When Appropriate

If your parent takes multiple medications, ask whether a medication review or reconciliation is appropriate.

This may be particularly important after a hospitalization because medication lists frequently change during transitions between care settings.

Watch for:

• Duplicate medications
• Discontinued medications still being taken
• New medications that aren’t on the home list
• Conflicting instructions
• Difficult dosing schedules
• Side effects
• Difficulty obtaining medications

Never make medication changes on your own.

Instead, bring discrepancies and questions to the appropriate healthcare professional.

For more information, see our article:

[Polypharmacy: What Patients and Caregivers Need to Know]

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Help Your Parent Keep Track of Symptoms

A simple notebook or phone note can be useful.

Record:

Date:
Time:
Symptom:
What happened:
Medication taken:
Temperature or other measurement, if instructed:
Who was contacted:
Instructions received:

This information can help your parent communicate more clearly with healthcare professionals.

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Keep Your Parent Involved

It’s easy for family caregivers to take over everything.

Whenever possible, keep your parent involved in decisions about their healthcare.

Ask:

“What questions do you want to ask your doctor?”

“What concerns do you have?”

“What are you having the most trouble with?”

“What would make things easier for you?”

Patient and family engagement is an important part of safer transitions of care. AHRQ recommends involving patients and families as partners in healthcare decisions and transitions.

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Don’t Wait for a Crisis to Communicate

If something isn’t working, address it early.

For example:

• Your parent cannot manage their medications.
• They cannot safely get to the bathroom.
• Home health hasn’t arrived.
• Equipment hasn’t been delivered.
• They cannot get to an appointment.
• They are experiencing a concerning symptom.
• You cannot provide the required level of care.
• The discharge instructions conflict with what you were previously told.

Contact the appropriate healthcare professional rather than waiting for the problem to become an emergency.

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The 48–72 Hour Check-In

The first few days are particularly important.

AHRQ’s Re-Engineered Discharge program includes a post-discharge follow-up call designed to identify misunderstandings and problems involving health status, medications, appointments, home services, and what to do if a problem develops.

If no follow-up has occurred, consider contacting the appropriate provider yourself.

Ask:

“How is my parent doing?”

“Are they taking their medications correctly?”

“Are all appointments arranged?”

“Have home services started?”

“Are there any new concerns?”

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The First Few Weeks: Look for Patterns

After the initial transition, pay attention to how your parent is actually functioning at home.

Ask:

• Are they getting stronger?
• Are they eating and drinking adequately?
• Are they taking medications as instructed?
• Are they sleeping?
• Are they able to move around safely?
• Are they attending appointments?
• Are they able to manage daily activities?
• Are symptoms improving?
• Are new problems appearing?
• Is the caregiver becoming overwhelmed?

Sometimes the original discharge plan needs to be reassessed as circumstances change.

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When to Contact the Healthcare Team

Contact the appropriate healthcare professional if you have questions or concerns about:

• Medication changes
• New or worsening symptoms
• Follow-up appointments
• Test results
• Wound care
• Mobility
• Nutrition or hydration
• Home services
• Equipment
• Your parent’s ability to safely remain at home

If the situation appears to be an emergency, call 911 or seek emergency medical care.

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What If Home Is No Longer Working?

Sometimes the reality of caring for a parent at home is different from what everyone expected.

Your parent may need more help than anticipated.

That doesn’t mean you failed.

It may mean the care plan needs to change.

Possible options may include additional home services, rehabilitation, skilled nursing, assisted living, or other community resources depending on the person’s medical needs and circumstances.

Talk with your parent’s healthcare team about appropriate options.

The Illinois Department on Aging provides caregiver and transition resources for families managing a loved one’s move from the hospital to home or another care setting.

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How a Patient Advocate Can Help

Managing a parent’s healthcare can become a full-time responsibility.

A patient advocate can help bring organization and clarity to a complicated healthcare situation.

At Our Father Patient Advocacy, we help patients and families better understand, organize, and navigate healthcare.

Depending on your needs, advocacy services may include:

• Hospital discharge preparation
• Healthcare navigation
• Care coordination
• Appointment preparation
• Medical record organization
• Medication information organization
• Caregiver support
• Provider communication support
• Healthcare education
• Assistance navigating complex healthcare situations

Our role is not to replace your physicians, nurses, pharmacists, or other healthcare professionals. We help patients and families become more informed, organized, and prepared participants in their healthcare.

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Caring for an Aging Parent Doesn’t Have to Mean Doing Everything Alone

If your parent has recently returned home from the hospital, you’re probably trying to manage a lot at once.

Start with the basics:

Safety.

Medications.

Appointments.

Services.

Warning signs.

Communication.

Then take it one step at a time.

You don’t have to figure everything out on your own.

Need Help Navigating Your Parent’s Healthcare?

Our Father Patient Advocacy helps patients and families navigate complex healthcare situations.

Visit ourfatherpa.org and use the Contact Form to tell us how we may be able to help.

You can also send us a message 815-912-0202.

You don’t have to navigate healthcare alone. You deserve an advocate.

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Related Caregiver & Hospital Transition Resources

[Hospital Discharge Checklist for Family Caregivers]
What to know, ask, and organize before your loved one leaves the hospital.

[What Questions Should I Ask Before My Loved One Leaves the Hospital?]
A practical list of questions to ask the healthcare team before discharge.

[How to Prepare for a Hospital Discharge]
Steps caregivers can take before discharge day.

[What If I Don’t Think My Loved One Is Ready to Leave the Hospital?]
What to do when you have concerns about whether home is a safe or realistic option.

[Hospital to Home: A Caregiver’s Guide]
Understanding the transition from hospital care to home care.

[What Is a Safe Hospital Discharge?]
Understanding what a well-planned discharge should include.

[How a Patient Advocate Can Help With Hospital Discharge]
How advocacy may help patients and families navigate a complicated transition.

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Last reviewed: August 2026

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Disclaimer

This article is provided for general educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every person’s healthcare needs are different. Follow the discharge instructions provided by your healthcare team and contact your physician, pharmacist, nurse, or other qualified healthcare professional with questions about your specific situation.

Do not stop, start, or change prescription medications without guidance from an appropriate healthcare professional.

If your parent is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or seek emergency medical care immediately.