​After hospital discharge: a family checklist.

A safe transition begins before leaving the hospital. Ask for the final medication list and compare it with the pre-hospital list. Confirm which medicines were started, stopped, or changed, and who will answer questions after discharge. Obtain written follow-up instructions, appointment dates, equipment orders, therapy plans, transportation arrangements, and the symptoms that require urgent help.

For a return to assisted living or memory care, confirm the community received the discharge summary, prescriptions, treatment orders, dietary instructions, and any change in mobility or supervision needs. Identify the person responsible for each next step and how the family will be updated.

During the first days, watch for change from baseline: increasing confusion, weakness, poor intake, breathing difficulty, uncontrolled pain, falls, or difficulty obtaining medications and equipment. Call 911 for emergencies and contact the treating team for clinical concerns. Care Advocacy AZ can help authorized families organize information, attend discharge conversations, and verify that handoffs are understood. This checklist is general education and not medical advice.