If your parent may leave the hospital soon, start with the discharge planner and ask what care and support will be needed next. You can make a safe plan for this week without deciding everything about the family home today.
The first 72 hours
Ask the hospital case manager or discharge planner when discharge is expected, what help is needed with daily activities and medicines, and which services or equipment must be arranged. Ask who will coordinate the next setting and who to call if the plan changes.
Have a current medication list, insurance information, relevant care instructions, family contacts and a list of questions ready. Ask for written discharge instructions and clarify any follow-up appointments.
The usual next places
- Home with help: Family, home health or paid in-home support may assist with the plan recommended by the care team.
- Short-term rehab: A skilled nursing setting may provide rehabilitation and nursing when appropriate and covered.
- Assisted living: A community can offer housing and help with daily activities; ask what care it can provide.
- Memory care: A community designed for people with memory-related needs may be worth discussing with the care team.
Medicare and short-term rehab
Under Original Medicare, skilled nursing facility coverage generally requires an inpatient hospital stay of at least three consecutive days and other conditions. The inpatient admission day counts; the discharge day does not. Time in observation or the emergency department before inpatient admission does not count. Exceptions may apply, and Medicare Advantage plans can have different rules, so ask the hospital and the plan. Read Medicare’s skilled nursing facility coverage rules.
Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care, including assistance with daily activities in assisted living. Read Medicare’s long-term care explanation.
How to tour quickly
Ask the discharge planner which settings can meet your parent’s needs and when they can accept a resident. Call communities to arrange tours, explain the timing, and ask about care, availability, the full written price and what is included. Bring your questions, a medication list and any discharge instructions you are comfortable sharing.
The house can wait
You do not have to decide about the house this week. Secure it and address urgent practical needs, then revisit whether to stay, list or sell when your family is ready.
How SilverPlanner℠ helps this week
We can talk through community options, the move and belongings, and the choices for the home. Estimate care costs or explore the care-level questions.
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Frequently asked questions
Who should I talk with first?
Ask the hospital case manager or discharge planner about the recommended next setting, timing, equipment and services.
Does an observation stay count toward Medicare’s inpatient requirement?
For Original Medicare’s usual skilled nursing facility benefit, observation time before inpatient admission does not count toward the three-day inpatient requirement. Ask the hospital about your status and review Medicare’s other coverage requirements.
Does Medicare pay for assisted living long term?
Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care, including help with daily activities in assisted living. Certain covered medical services are separate.
Do we need to sell the house this week?
No. You can make an immediate care plan first and take time to consider the home.
Can SilverPlanner help when the discharge is soon?
Yes. We can discuss the care search, the move and belongings, and later decisions about the home. Call us if timing is urgent.