What to arrange before a parent comes home from hospital

The discharge summary tells you what happened. It rarely tells you what to do on Tuesday.

Before the day of discharge, ask the ward for three things in writing: the medicines and their timings, what the person can and cannot do yet, and the date of the next review.

Then look at the house with fresh eyes. A clear path from the bed to the bathroom, a chair with arms, and a light that can be reached at night matter more than any equipment.

Decide who will be at home in the first week, and when. If the doctor has asked for dressings, injections, physiotherapy or blood tests, arrange them before you leave the hospital, not after.

Keep the discharge summary and the medicine list in one place where anyone visiting can find them. If something changes or worries you, call the treating doctor. In an emergency, call 108.

General information, not medical advice.