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10 Steps to Take Before You Leave the Hospital

Here are the questions to ask, things to do and mistakes to avoid to help make your recovery at home go smoother — and to avoid a return trip

Michelle Crouch,

AARP

En español

Published July 08, 2026

An illustration of a doctor reviewing a long, scrolling list of discharge paperwork with an older adult patient resting in a hospital bed.

Jackson Gibbs

Key takeaways

Research shows that hospital readmission rates are highest among older adults.
Confusion over medications and care instructions is common after discharge.
Asking questions, lining up support, scheduling follow-ups and stocking the right equipment ahead of time can reduce complications and help you avoid readmission.

Leaving the hospital can feel like a relief. But for many older adults, the days after discharge can be a risky time.

Medication mistakes, falls and confusion are significantly more common in the weeks after you get out of the hospital, studies show. In addition, many older adults underestimate how wiped out they’ll feel once they’re home, so they don’t line up the support they need, says Dr. Alicia Arbaje, a geriatric medicine physician at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who studies hospital-to-home transitions.

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“My research over the last 20-some years is on how to improve care transitions for older adults going from the hospital to home, because 100 percent of the time there are issues, despite all our best efforts,” Arbaje says. “Sometimes there are minor challenges; sometimes they’re major challenges.”

A 2024 study published in JAMA Network Open found that more than 1 in 4 (roughly 28 percent) of adults age 65 and older who had surgery were readmitted to the hospital within 180 days of leaving; nearly 1 in 8 (about 12 percent) were readmitted within just 30 days.

Part of the reason people might struggle at home is that they spend far less time in the hospital than they used to, Arbaje says. That means much of the recovery and care now falls to patients and their family members.

Planning ahead and taking a few simple steps before discharge can help make the transition safer and less overwhelming, Arbaje adds. Here are the key things experts say patients and caregivers should do before leaving the hospital to lower their risk of returning:

1. Make sure you understand your diagnosis and care plan

Hospital discharge instructions often come at the worst possible moment: when you’re tired, stressed and eager to go home. That can make it hard to absorb and remember important details, says Rani Snyder, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, which works to improve the care of older adults.

In a 2023 study published in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, more than 90 percent of patients said they felt confident they understood their hospital care, but only 43 to 64 percent could accurately recall key details about their diagnosis, treatment plan and medication changes within two days of discharge.

Before leaving the hospital, make sure you clearly understand why you were hospitalized and what happens next, Snyder says. Make sure you confirm the following with your care team:

Your main diagnosis
The treatments you received
The symptoms that should prompt a call to the doctor
Common complications after discharge — and what to do if they arise
The activities that are safe or unsafe
What kind of support you will need during recovery. Some patients can go directly home, while others may need short-term rehabilitation or skilled nursing care.

2. Have a second set of ears

To avoid confusion later, keep a notebook and pen handy and repeat instructions back to your care team to make sure you’re understanding correctly, says Meredith Masel, director of the Oliver Center for Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.

If possible, try to have a family member or friend present during discharge instructions, she says. One common mistake, Masel says, is for the person bringing you home to go get the car before the staff goes over them.

“If you’re a patient, don’t let your family or friend leave the room, because you really need those extra ears,” Masel says.

3. Record and practice hands-on medical tasks

Masel recommends asking for permission to audio record important instructions so you can replay them later at home. That can be especially helpful for complicated instructions involving medications, medical equipment or follow-up care.

For hands-on tasks such as changing bandages, injections or managing oxygen equipment, ask if the staff will allow you to use your phone to video record them demonstrating the steps, Masel suggests. You can also see if you or a family member can practice doing the task in the hospital under a nurse’s supervision.

“It looks simple when they’re doing it to you because they do it all day, every day,” Masel says. But when you go to do it yourself at home, “it’s daunting.”

4. Ask exactly what medicines to take — and when

People almost always have medication changes when they leave the hospital, which can lead to confusion and errors.

A 2025 study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that nearly 40 percent of older adults made at least one medication error within a week of leaving the hospital, despite most saying they understood their discharge instructions.

Before you leave the hospital, ask your care team for a medication list that includes which ones to start, which ones to stop and when to take each one. You should also ask about possible side effects, what to do if you miss a dose (double up or skip it) and whether over-the-counter medications are safe to take with your new prescriptions.

Also, clarify which medications you have already received on the day you’re leaving and when to take the next dose at home. “You don’t want to take something twice accidentally,” Masel says.

5. Avoid surprises at the pharmacy

Some hospitals and pharmacies offer “meds-to-beds” programs that allow you to fill new prescriptions at the hospital pharmacy and have them delivered to your room before discharge. That can save you the hassle of stopping at the pharmacy, help prevent confusion and give you a chance to flag any cost or insurance problems before you leave.

If you are planning to pick up your medications at a local pharmacy instead, Masel suggests calling before discharge to ask how much the medications will cost and whether they are covered by your insurance plan. That way, if a medication is out of your budget, you can ask your provider about discounts or a lower-cost alternative before you leave the hospital.

6. Schedule follow-up appointments before you leave

Before you leave, ask what follow-up appointments you need and when they should happen, Snyder says. That might include seeing your primary care doctor, a surgeon, a specialist, a physical therapist or an occupational therapist. Also, check whether you need any additional lab tests or imaging after discharge.

Sometimes the hospital will make those appointments for you. If not, make them yourself before you leave, Snyder advises.

If transportation is an issue, ask whether the hospital can arrange a ride, Snyder suggests, or check to see if telehealth options are available.

7. Order medical equipment and home health services

Talk to your hospital care team about your home setup and any safety concerns, Masel suggests. Will you need help bathing, getting dressed and climbing stairs? Do you need medical equipment like a walker, shower chair, raised toilet seat or home oxygen equipment? The hospital can connect you to a medical supply company where you can buy or rent the equipment you need.

It’s important to make sure medical equipment is arranged before discharge, not after you get home, Snyder says. Ask whether Medicare will cover it, when it will arrive and who will teach you how to use it correctly. “It’s easy to get home with equipment … and be like, ‘How do I do this?’ ” she says.

You should also ask whether you qualify for home health services, such as visits from a nurse, physical therapist or occupational therapist. These services can provide short-term support while you recover at home, but Arbaje says doctors tend to underorder it. You likely qualify if you’re leaving the hospital with a new diagnosis, new medication or a new functional impairment, she says.

8. Line up support from family and friends

Many older adults underestimate how weak, exhausted or mentally foggy they may feel after a hospital stay, which can make it harder to manage medications, follow instructions and recover safely at home, Arbaje says.

She suggests asking family or friends if someone can stay with you — or whether you can stay with them temporarily — for a week or two after discharge. At the very least, consider lining up someone to check on you every day for the first month, and accept help with meals, rides and errands.

“People don’t want to feel like they’re a burden,” Arbaje says. “However, it’s really a risky time when people first come home from the hospital, and it’s so important not to be alone.”

9. Read your discharge paperwork before you walk out

The hospital should give you written discharge instructions before you leave — usually a multipage packet that includes medication doses and timing, red-flag symptoms to watch for, follow-up appointments, activity restrictions, wound care and more.

If possible, read through all of it before you leave, Snyder suggests. The information there may prompt questions or contradict what someone told you verbally.

“It’s always going to be easier if you deal with (those questions) in the moment,” she says.

10. Know exactly whom to contact with questions

Make sure you know exactly whom to contact with questions once you get home. If they tell you to call the hospital, ask for the name of the department, nurse or doctor you should ask for, Masel advises. Find out if there is a different number to call at night and on weekends.

Make sure you know which symptoms or warning signs should prompt a call to your provider, and which ones mean you should go straight to the emergency room, Masel says.

“Don’t wait for the scheduled follow-up if something doesn’t feel right,” she says. “If something feels off and you can’t reach somebody … really the safest thing is to go to an emergency room.”

Michelle Crouch is a North Carolina-based writer who has covered health issues for Reader’s Digest, The Washington Post and other publications. She has written for the Bulletin for more than a decade.

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