They're being discharged. Now what? The next few weeks are critical — and often undersupported.
Hospital discharge isn't the finish line. It's the starting point of a vulnerable period.
After hospitalization — whether for a fall, surgery, illness, or procedure — patients go home weaker than before. They're on new medications. They may have mobility restrictions. And the "normal" they're returning to isn't quite as safe as it used to be.
This transition period is when most preventable readmissions happen.
The risk isn't about what happened in the hospital. It's about what happens after.
New prescriptions, stopped medications, confusing timing. Errors are common — and dangerous.
"Is this normal healing or something wrong?" When you don't know what to expect, everything feels alarming.
Infections, blood clots, reactions to meds — they can look like "just being tired" at first.
Hospital stays cause rapid deconditioning. Patients often leave weaker than they arrived.
The hospital sent them home because acute treatment was done. But the recovery period is fragile:
Hospitals discharge patients. They don't monitor what happens next. That's where families get left holding the bag.
A pre-discharge home safety review identifies hazards before they come home — stairs, bathroom access, mobility barriers.
Simple modifications — bedside rails, bathroom grab bars, shower seats — make recovery safer without construction.
Pattern tracking during recovery shows whether activity is improving, stable, or declining — so you can act before readmission.
Hospitals assume someone is watching at home. Home health visits, if they happen, are brief and spaced out. Between those touchpoints, families are on their own.
StillWell Health exists in that gap. We help you see what's happening day to day — not just when a nurse can visit. So you're not guessing whether today was a "good day" or a sign of trouble.
Recovery shouldn't be a blind spot.
StillWell Health supports families in the St. Louis Metro East region with post-discharge recovery support and home safety solutions.
The first 30 days after discharge are the highest-risk period—and the home environment plays a significant role in readmission risk.
In situations like this, the most effective first step is a professional home safety review—before they come home.
We can help you prepare the home and set up support before they come back. The earlier you start, the safer the transition.
