CALEVIA

Going home after a hospital stay can feel good, but the first few days may also be difficult. You may feel tired, have less energy or find simple daily tasks harder than usual.

A little preparation before your hospital stay can make coming home much easier.

Prepare Food and Shopping

If possible, do your food shopping before going to hospital.

Think about simple food and drinks that will be easy to prepare when you come home. You may want to have:

• fresh fruit and vegetables
• water and other drinks
• coconut water
• easy snacks
• simple breakfast foods
• ingredients for easy meals

You can also prepare some meals in advance and keep them in the fridge or freezer. When you return home, you will only need to heat your food instead of cooking from the beginning.

Always follow any dietary advice given by your healthcare team.

Prepare Your Home

Coming back to a clean and comfortable home can make a big difference.

Before going to hospital, you can change your bed linen, prepare clean towels, clean the bathroom and make sure your home is tidy and well ventilated.

Try to keep the things you use every day somewhere easy to reach. This can help you avoid unnecessary movement while you are recovering.

Organise Important Tasks Beforehand

Try to deal with important bills, appointments, shopping and other responsibilities before your hospital stay.

This means you can concentrate on resting when you return home instead of worrying about things that could have been organised earlier.

It can also be useful to keep important telephone numbers and information somewhere easy to find.

Plan Your Journey Home

Before going into hospital, think about how you will travel home after discharge.

You may be able to arrange for a friend or family member to collect you. The NHS also provides Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services for some people who have a medical or mobility need and meet the eligibility criteria. Ask your hospital or healthcare professional about this as early as possible.

NHS — How to organise transport to and from hospital

Ask About Support Before Discharge

Before leaving hospital, make sure you understand what happens next.

Ask about your medicines, follow-up appointments and anything you need to do when you get home. If you need additional care or support after leaving hospital, your healthcare team can discuss this with you as part of your discharge planning.

NHS — Being discharged from hospital

No Time to Prepare?

Sometimes a hospital stay is unexpected. Sometimes you are simply too busy, tired or unwell to organise everything before you go.

This is where a little practical help can make things easier.

CALEVIA provides flexible support in Hounslow and nearby areas. We can help with shopping and errands, preparing simple meals, light home help, appointment companionship, wellbeing check-ins and practical support when you return home from hospital.

We also welcome same-day and last-minute requests, which can be helpful when discharge dates change or when you have not had enough time to prepare.