What do I need to buy before an elderly parent comes home from the hospital?

Focus on the bathroom and the bedside, where most early falls happen. The core list: a shower transfer bench, a raised toilet seat with handles, grab bars, non-skid socks, a reacher tool, and motion-sensor night lights. If mobility is limited, a bed assist rail can help — but confirm it suits the person with the discharge team first. Ask the hospital which items Medicare may cover as durable medical equipment with a doctor's order.

Will Medicare pay for home equipment after a hospital stay?

Medicare Part B can help pay for durable medical equipment — such as a walker, wheelchair, or hospital bed — when a doctor prescribes it as medically necessary. Everyday safety items like grab bars, shower benches, and raised toilet seats are usually not covered, so most families buy those themselves. Ask the discharge planner what qualifies before you leave the hospital.

What questions should I ask before a hospital discharge?

Ask: What can my parent do independently and what needs help? Are there weight-bearing or movement restrictions? What equipment is recommended, and what will Medicare cover with an order? Is home health or physical therapy being arranged? What are the warning signs that should prompt a call? Getting these answers before discharge prevents a scramble at home.

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What to buy before Mom comes home from the hospital

Hospitals often give a day's notice or less. Whoever's getting the house ready is usually doing it between phone calls, so here's the list plainly — what genuinely makes the first days home safe, and what can wait. The bathroom and the bedside matter most; that's where the early falls happen.

Ask the discharge planner first. Before you buy anything, ask the nurse or social worker what your parent can do on their own, any movement restrictions, and which equipment a doctor can order — because Medicare may cover some items (a walker, a wheelchair, a hospital bed) as durable medical equipment, while everyday safety gear usually isn't covered. Five minutes of questions saves money and guesswork.

The bathroom — the highest-risk room

Shower transfer bench — so there's no stepping over a slick tub edge.
Raised toilet seat with handles — getting up from a low toilet is hard after surgery.
Grab bars by the toilet and in the shower — the screw-mounted kind that hold weight, not suction cups.
Non-slip bath mat and a handheld shower head.

The bedroom

Bed assist rail — a handhold for getting up. Confirm it fits the bed and suits the person (not right for everyone with confusion) with the discharge team.
Motion-sensor night lights — the dark nighttime bathroom trip is a classic fall.
Waterproof mattress protector if incontinence is a concern.
A reacher/grabber and anything used often kept within arm's reach.

Getting around & day-to-day

Walker or cane as recommended — ask whether Medicare will cover it with a doctor's order before buying.
Non-skid socks for indoors.
A pill organizer (weekly to start; an automatic dispenser if memory is a worry).
Clear the paths: remove loose rugs and cords, and make sure a phone is reachable from the bed and the floor.

The five questions to ask before discharge

What can my parent do independently, and what needs help — today?
Are there weight-bearing or movement restrictions I should know?
What equipment do you recommend, and what will Medicare cover with an order?
Is home health or physical therapy being arranged — and when does it start?
What warning signs should make me call, and who do I call?

→ See the full Elder Care Essentials list, organized by situation, with links to each item.

How we earn, plainly: the essentials list includes affiliate links — if you buy through one we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and no manufacturer pays for placement. Full disclosure here.

This is practical, general information, not medical advice. Items that affect balance, transfers, or skin should suit the individual — the discharge team, a physical therapist, or an occupational therapist can tell you what's right for your person.

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