Overnight care
Sleeping and waking nights for safer first nights at home.
Find out more →Coming home from hospital
Home from hospital, safely and calmly.
When someone you love is coming home from West Suffolk Hospital or another hospital nearby, things can move quickly. We can help you get the right support in place, so the first days at home feel settled rather than stressful.
Before they leave hospital
Questions worth asking the ward.
The hospital’s discharge team can help with a lot. These are the questions we’d suggest asking before a discharge date is set.
- Is reablement or short-term support available? In England, NHS and council short-term support to help someone recover at home is usually free for up to six weeks. It’s always worth asking.
- Has a care needs assessment been done? This helps everyone understand what support is needed, and whether the council can help with longer-term care.
- What has changed with medication? Ask for a clear list of any new or stopped medication to take home.
- Is any equipment needed at home? For example a raised toilet seat, grab rails or a walking frame, and who will arrange it.
- Who will be there on the first night? The first night home is often the most worrying. Plan for it early.
How we can help
- A home visit from Jade or David to plan care around what’s changed
- Care that can start as soon as the next day, depending on availability
- Overnight care for the first nights, if needed
- Help with washing, dressing, meals and medication
- Shopping, a warm house and a stocked fridge for coming home
- Working alongside district nurses and other NHS teams
- Reviewing the plan as recovery goes on, and reducing support when it’s no longer needed
Useful links
More help and information.
Paying for care
Attendance Allowance, council support and NHS Continuing Healthcare, explained.
Read the guide →Suffolk County Council
Ask for a care needs assessment or find local support services.
Visit the council website →