Coming home from the hospital
Coming home from UPMC Harrisburg
UPMC Harrisburg sits a few blocks from our office. When the discharge planner says someone needs to be home, we are often the closest call a family can make.
Call us with the discharge date and we work to have a caregiver at the house the first day.
Help through the door, into a chair, the first meal, the first day.
Medication reminders per the discharge paperwork and accompaniment to UPMC follow-up appointments.
Coordination with the home health agency UPMC arranges; we cover the hours in between.
Daytime, overnight or 24-hour coverage for the first one to two weeks, stepping down as strength returns.
Before discharge from UPMC Harrisburg
UPMC Harrisburg (the former Harrisburg Hospital on South Front Street) and UPMC Community Osteopathic in Lower Paxton Township discharge many of the families we serve in Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties. The routine is the same at both:
- Ask the discharge planner or case manager what the first two weeks at home will require and which skilled services have been ordered.
- Call us with the date. We ask about mobility, the home layout, the diagnosis in plain terms, and who in the family can cover which hours.
- Prepare the house: first-floor sleeping if stairs are an issue, clear paths, a chair with arms, prescriptions filled before the ride home.
- Choose the coverage: daytime while the family works, overnight so the family sleeps, or 24-hour for the first week.
The first days home
Our caregiver meets your parent at home, helps them settle, prepares a meal, and provides medication reminders following the discharge instructions. Support is planned around the discharge time and your family’s needs, whether care starts in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Accompaniment to follow-up appointments can be included in the care plan.
The neighborhoods we cover from this hospital
Harrisburg city, Susquehanna Township, Lower Paxton, Colonial Park, Linglestown, Penbrook, Steelton, Hershey and Hummelstown; across the river, Camp Hill, Lemoyne, New Cumberland, Mechanicsburg and Enola; and up Routes 11/15 into Perry County. See our Dauphin County and Cumberland County pages for the full list.
Other situations we help with
Coming home from the hospital
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.
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.
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
Are you part of UPMC?
What is the difference between you and UPMC's home health?
How fast can you be there?
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 who knows Dauphin County
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.