E36 - Hospital Discharge Planning: Options & Pathways

04/05/22 • 20 min

Ever been in hospital or had a loved one in hospital and been unclear about what options are available when discharging? Most people want to get home as soon as possible, however may require some additional support before safely & confidently returning home.
In E36 we discussed nine different options and pathways available on discharge from hospital. Please note, the names of these programs may vary across Australia however it does give an indication of the main pathways available.
1. Return Home - suitable for those back to their baseline or needing low levels of additional care that can be provided by family, friends or their Home Care Package
2. Hospital at Home - short term assistance (approx. 2 weeks) at home whilst regaining confidence e.g. shower assistance, physiotherapy, medication management 3. Rehabilitation - intensive in-patient rehabilitation programs (minimum 4 weeks) delivered by a multi-disciplinary team with the goal of the individual returning home 4. Care Hotel - uncommon, but there are some places that offer hospital step-down services staffed by nurses 24/7 for individuals who may no longer be acutely unwell, but need some additional support before returning home 5. Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM) Unit - additional multi-disciplinary assessment for the elderly (particularly those with cognitive decline) overseen by a Geriatrician - most commonly used while determining the next suitable step for the individual 6. Transition Care Programme (TCP) - 12 weeks multi-disciplinary care for those who have capacity to return to living independently at home - can be provided in a residential aged care facility or in the individuals home7. Care Awaiting Placement (CAP) - for people that require additional support & may need to move permanently into a residential care facility, however are still deciding where they may go 8. Residential Respite - could be used for short-term additional support or when trialing residential care facilities 9. Permanent Residential Care - moving into an aged care facility permanently, typically for those who require a higher level of care and may not be suitable for rehabilitation programs
As always, please send through any questions! You can do this through the contact page on our website - www.thetruthaboutageing.com.au, on Instagram @thetruthaboutageing or on Facebook @thetruthaboutageingpodcast.

Previous Episode

E35 - Finding Purpose & Meaning with a Wellbeing Coach

Finding your individual purpose and meaning are integral to helping you feel connected. The more clarity we have around our purpose and what brings us a sense of fulfilment, the less lonely we're going to be.
Finding your purpose can feel overwhelming and complex, however today we work through some simple questions to reflect on that will assist with getting to the core of what lights your fire and what you're passionate about.
Reflective questions:

What do I want my life to look like?
Over my lifetime, what activities have I loved and how can I incorporate that into my life today?
If all my stress were gone, what would my life look like?
Reflecting back on my life, what would I be proud of or what might I regret?
Are there particular areas where people seek my advice?

As always you can find us at www.thetruthaboutageing.com.au, on Instagram @thetruthaboutageing or on Facebook @thetruthaboutageingpodcast

Next Episode

E37 - Hospital Discharge Planning: Advocacy

If you or your loved one are in hospital, how on earth do you work out how to get home? Hospitals are incredibly busy, so knowing what options are available & what to ask can help ensure a smooth discharge for yourself or a loved one.
1. Understand the situation:
a) Understand the diagnosis - do they know what the diagnosis is? Or is there something they suspect?
b) Potential discharge plans - try to get a feel as to whether you or your loved one will be in there for hours, days or weeks
c) Level of care required on discharge - trying to establish what additional assistance may be required when they return home e.g. shower assistance, welfare checks, medication support etc.
2. Create a plan - meeting or liaising with formal & informal supports to determine capacity to assist on discharge home and then communicating this to the hospital.
3. Stay in regular contact with the hospital - to ascertain changes to discharge plans, to better understand diagnosis, to see if there are updates on level of care required on discharge and to communicate formal & informal capacity to assist. 4. Advocacy when required - advocating when you or your loved one do not feel safe returning home with the proposed supports
As always you can send any questions through our website at www.thetruthaboutageing.com.au - you can also find us on Instagram @thetruthaboutageing or on Facebook @thetruthaboutageingpodcast :)