How we help
Someone is being discharged and cannot be home alone
The hospital wants the bed. The discharge planner says someone needs to be home. You have a job, kids, and maybe a two-hour drive. This is the situation we are built for.
Call us before discharge and we work to have a caregiver ready for the first day home.
Help getting settled: in the door, into a chair, the first meal, the first night.
Medication reminders that follow the discharge instructions, and accompaniment to follow-up appointments.
Eyes and ears for the family: we tell you how the first days are really going.
Coordination with the home health nurses and therapists the doctor orders. We handle the everyday; they handle the medical.
Before discharge day
- Ask the discharge planner two questions. What does my parent need help with in the first two weeks? And what skilled services have been ordered (home health nursing, PT, OT)? Write the answers down.
- Call us with the discharge date. We ask about the diagnosis in plain terms, mobility, the layout of the home, and who in the family can cover which hours. Then we tell you honestly what we can staff.
- Get the house ready. Bed on the first floor if stairs are a problem. Clear paths. A chair with arms. Grab bars if there is time. Prescriptions filled before the ride home, not after.
- Decide the schedule. Most families choose one of three patterns: daytime coverage while they work, overnight coverage so they can sleep, or 24-hour care for the first week.
The first 72 hours
Day one. The caregiver meets your parent at the door or shortly after arrival, helps them settle, prepares a meal, sets out the medications per the discharge instructions, and stays through the evening or overnight. You get a text or call telling you how it went.
Day two. Bathing help, breakfast, a first walk around the house, medication reminders on schedule, and a note of anything that seems off: swelling, confusion, pain that is not improving. If a home health nurse visits, our caregiver is there to let them in and pass along what they have seen.
Day three and beyond. Accompaniment to follow-up appointment. Laundry, groceries, a clean kitchen. Encouragement to do the exercises the therapist left. The routine starts to feel like a routine.
The hospitals our families come home from
We serve 16 counties, which means we know the discharge process at UPMC Harrisburg, Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center, Penn Medicine Lancaster General, WellSpan York, Reading Hospital, Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest, St. Luke’s Bethlehem and the community hospitals in between. Pick your hospital on our How We Help page for a hospital-specific checklist. We are independent and not affiliated with any hospital system.
Other situations we help with
After surgery
A hip, a knee, a heart, a back. The surgeon says recovery at home is fine as long as someone is there. You want to say yes to that. Here is how to make it true.
After a fall
A fall changes everything in a day. Whether it ended in the ER or just a scare on the kitchen floor, the question is the same: how do we keep this from happening again without taking away their independence?
Overnight care
Days are manageable. Nights are not. Bathroom trips at 2 a.m., wandering, confusion, or a spouse who has not had an unbroken night's sleep in a year. An overnight caregiver changes the whole household.
24-hour care
The doctor, the discharge planner, or your own gut has said it: someone needs to be there all the time. You want that to be home. Here is how 24-hour care actually works.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice do you need?
What is the difference between you and the home health agency the hospital arranged?
Does Medicare cover your care?
Can you do 24-hour care for the first week or two?
This article is general information for Pennsylvania families and is not medical, legal, financial, or insurance advice. It's Your Home Care is a non-medical home care agency licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health; we do not provide skilled nursing or medical services. Program rules and eligibility change; confirm details with the agency or program named, your physician, or a qualified advisor before making decisions.
Talk to a care coordinator today
Tell us what is happening at home. We will explain your options, including what private pay, long-term care insurance, VA benefits, and Pennsylvania waiver programs may cover, and schedule an in-home care consultation when you are ready.