Patient Guide
Key Information for Your Stay
After-Hospital Care
After-Hospital Care
After-hospital care that fits your needs is important. Make sure you understand what your hospital staff recommends for you. After-care options include:
Home Care—Care provided by professionals in your home to help maintain or restore health. Can include: home care services such as housekeeping and meal preparation; personal care services such as bathing, dressing or eating; and healthcare services such as physical therapy or skilled nursing. For more information, call Medical Center Home Health at 731.984.2000. Visit Home Care
for more information.
Medicare-Covered Equipment and Supplies—If you need durable medical equipment (such as a walker, wheelchair, crutches or a hospital bed), Medicare will only cover the cost if you get it from a supplier enrolled in the Medicare program. To find a supplier enrolled in the Medicare program, visit www.medicare.gov
and select “Find medical equipment & suppliers” or call Medical Center Medical Products at 731.664.4305. Visit Durable Medical Equipment
for more information.
Independent Living—Communities with individual, private apartments or homes. Can include: meals, housekeeping, maintenance, social activities and possibly transportation. Healthcare services like skilled nursing are not usually standard. Visit Independent Living
for more information.
Assisted Living—Individual units or apartments, usually in a long-term care facility. Can include: home and personal care services, as well as help managing health conditions and medicine routines—plus social activities and transportation. Staff is on-site 24 hours. Visit Assisted Care
for more information.
Nursing Home—Long-term care facility for those who don’t need a hospital but can’t be cared for at home. Can include: all daily living and personal care services, 24-hour skilled nursing care, plus social activities and events. Special units often available for people with Alzheimer’s disease or memory loss. Visit Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Care
for more information.
Hospice—Care program that provides support for terminally ill patients and families in hospitals, facilities or private homes. Can include: 24-hour help with pain control, symptom management and emotional or spiritual support. For more information, call Hospice of West Tennessee at 731.664.4200 or visit Hospice & Palliative Care.