Services
Care after a hospital stay
The discharge paperwork assumes someone at home knows what to do. We help make that true.
The short answer
Ask for home care before discharge day. Tell the hospital discharge planner which agency you want and ask whether nursing is being ordered. Aster Care can provide nursing for medications and wounds, aides for bathing and moving safely, and extra hours in the first weeks. Coverage depends on orders and your payer.
What usually goes wrong
- The new medication list does not match what is in the cabinet.
- No one has shown the family how to change the dressing.
- The bathroom is not safe yet.
- The follow-up appointment has no ride.
What we help with
- Reviewing the discharge plan with you at home
- Medication administration and wound care by nurses
- Help getting up, walking, bathing and toileting safely
- Meals and light housekeeping while strength returns
Before discharge, ask the hospital
- Has the doctor ordered home health? For which services, and how often?
- Who shows us how to use the equipment and change dressings, before we leave?
- Which new medications replace the old ones?
- Who do we call first if something looks wrong?
See the full coming home checklist.
How it gets paid
Medicare covers part-time skilled care after discharge when the person is homebound and care is ordered. People leaving a nursing facility after at least 60 straight days can get priority enrollment in Medicaid Long-Term Care. Extra hours can be private pay.
We serve families across Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties.
Questions families ask
Can care start the day of discharge?
Urgent needs move faster than usual. Call us as early as you can with the discharge date and we will give you a real answer.
Do I have to use the agency the hospital suggests?
No. Medicare says you have a choice of certified home health agency where one is available. Tell the discharge planner what you want.