Hospital discharge of older adults. How nurses can ease the transition.

When an older adult is discharged from the hospital, she or he should have an individualized, comprehensive discharge plan to help prevent unnecessary complications and rehospitalization. But the large number of older adults who are hospitalized and their typically greater needs can make creating such a plan a challenge for clinicians. Clear communication among hospital personnel, patients, family members, case managers, and community caregivers (such as home health care nurses and long-term care staff) is essential. In examining effective discharge planning for this population, this article examines five discharge models.