Hospital discharge planning advice for caregivers:

Patient discharge from the hospital and the transition back to the community is a very significant step for both the patient and the family caregiver. The recovery of your loved one is enhanced by a good discharge plan. Unfortunately, hospitals often struggle with effective discharge planning, so it is important that caregivers be prepared.

Helpful tips

• Try to get an estimated date of discharge as soon as possible so that you can prepare to be available for pick up; consider your job and transportation needs; do you have enough time to get everything ready at home?
• If you do not feel ready or safe to have your loved one home, be sure to communicate with the nursing staff or department manager
• Ensure that you have a good relationship with your pharmacist; you can make an appointment to review any new medications for your loved one; after a hospitalization for mental illness or substance use, medications often change and sometimes at the last minute, so this is an essential relationship to cultivate; talk to the pharmacy about using blister packs (medication can be organized by pharmacy staff and packaged in daily doses), making it much easier for the patient and caregiver to monitor adherence to the prescribed therapy
• Encourage the doctor to fax prescriptions to your pharmacy a few days before the discharge date so that you can pick up the medications and have it at home before you arrive
• Encourage the doctor to fax any important medical information to your loved one’s family doctor; if your loved one does not have a family doctor, start getting on lists now because it is very important to have a medical professional on your team
• Does your home environment need to change; do you need a bath chair shower grip, or locking medicine cupboard?
• Speak with the nursing staff so you know what kind of help/care your loved one requires once discharged
• Ask questions about the autonomy of your loved one; can they stay alone during the day, can they cook, use appliances, go out for walk alone?
• What follow up appointments are booked and are they local?
• If you are working and cannot provide transportation, ask about community agencies that may provide transportation to medical appointments for free or for a nominal fee
• Ask about community programs for your loved one
• Ask about support groups for caregivers and other resources for you
• Ask who you can call if you get home and you have a question
• Always keep a running list of questions with you; when you visit your loved at the hospital, many of your questions will get answered along the way, but new ones will also come up
• When appropriate, you can ask for a family meeting with all of the professionals involved in your loved one’s care
• On the day of discharge, you should be given a discharge summary or package; this information should have been faxed to your family doctor and/or psychiatrist, but bring it to the first follow up appointment, just in case so that they can make a copy for your loved one’s medical file
• Ask questions; demonstrate that you have a knowledgeable role on the treatment team; although there is considerable evidence supporting including caregivers in treatment planning, some individuals/institutions are slower to make this transition; you will need to advocate for your loved one and may need to be assertive
• Ask for a peer-support appointment if you are finding your caregiver responsibilities stressful; ask for support, encouragement and help navigating your caregiver journey

Further recommended reading

Be Prepared To Go Home Checklist
Hospital Discharge Planning: A guide for Families and Caregivers