Resources

Guides & check lists.

Practical, printable resources you can use right away, whether you’re preparing for a hospital discharge, setting up a home, or holding the daily load as a family caregiver. Tap any card to open it.

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The HosPall Family Guide

Our long-form guide for families just starting to think about home care: what to expect, what questions to ask, and how the first weeks unfold. If you're unsure where to begin, this is the one to read first.

Open the Family Guide

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Each item is short, deliberately one screen long, and focused on what to do, not on what to read about.

Printable Medication tracker A one-page fillable table families can keep on the fridge or in a binder, beside the pillbox. Fill it in on screen and print, or print blank and write by hand.

Who is this list for?

Patient name

Date of birth

List updated

Pharmacy name

Pharmacy phone

Medications

0 saved

No medications added yet. Use the button below to add one.

Add a medication

Medication name

Brand name first, generic in parentheses.

Strength

Dose per taking

When taken

Tap all that apply.

With or without food?

With food Empty stomach No preference As directed

Special instructions (optional)

Started

Last refilled

Prescribing clinician

Notes for the next visit side effects, dose changes, missed doses

Private & not saved. Nothing you type here is stored, shared, or sent anywhere. This is a personal printing tool; your information lives only in this browser tab until you close it or clear the fields.

Not medical advice. Always confirm doses and timing with the prescribing clinician or pharmacist.

Medication tracker

hospall.ca · nurse-managed home care

Patient
DOB
List updated
Pharmacy

#	Medication	Strength & dose	When taken	Food / instructions	Started / Refilled	Prescriber

Notes for the next visit

Checklist Choosing a home care provider The questions to ask before you sign a service agreement with any agency, HosPall or otherwise.
- Who builds the care plan: a nurse, or an intake coordinator?
- Are the PSWs employees, or contracted through a third party?
- How does after-hours support work? Who picks up the phone at 11 pm on a Sunday?
- How quickly can care begin after the first call?
- What accreditations does the agency hold, and how can I verify them?
- How are PSW matches made for the client, and what happens if a match is not working?
- How are care plan changes communicated, and how quickly do they take effect?
Checklist Hospital discharge: questions to ask the discharge nurse A bedside-ready list. Bring it with you the day discharge is being planned so nothing important slips by.
- What specific changes have been made to my loved one’s medications during this stay?
- Are there new prescriptions to fill before we leave, or after?
- Which signs or symptoms should send us back to the emergency department?
- What follow-up appointments are required, and who books them?
- Are there mobility, weight-bearing, or activity restrictions for the next 24, 48 and 72 hours?
- What equipment will we need at home (walker, commode, hospital bed)? Who arranges delivery?
- Is a referral to home care being made? When can the first visit happen?
Walk-through Home safety walk-through A room-by-room check you can do before a loved one comes home from hospital, or any time their mobility changes.
- Entryways: thresholds flush, mats taped down, an alternate route if stairs are involved.
- Hallways: clear paths, nightlights in high-traffic zones, no loose rugs.
- Bathroom: non-slip mat, grab bars beside the toilet and inside the shower, a raised toilet seat if needed.
- Bedroom: bed at a height the client can sit-to-stand from safely, phone and water within reach.
- Kitchen: frequently used items at waist height; step stool removed unless someone else is fetching.
- Lighting: working bulbs in every room; a clear path from bed to bathroom that is lit at night.
- Emergency: a printed list of contacts on the fridge, plus phone-number-large-print near every phone.
Checklist What to have ready before the first care visit Items HosPall’s Nurse Manager will look for, and what makes day one feel calmer for everyone.
- Current medication list, with doses and timing. (Pillboxes are fine; we will copy them.)
- A list of all clinicians involved: family doctor, specialists, pharmacy, any hospital teams.
- Insurance details and any active coverage references (LTC, WSIB, VAC, etc.).
- A primary family decision-maker identified, with contact details.
- Power-of-attorney documents (if applicable) accessible. You do not need to share copies, just confirm they exist.
- A quiet space in the home where the assessment conversation can happen.
- Any concerns or preferences the client wants the team to know on day one.
Template Sample daily routine A template for organising a day at home with regular care visits. Adapt the times to suit the client.
- Morning (7–9): wake, toilet, gentle stretching, breakfast, morning medications.
- Mid-morning (9–11): hygiene routine (bath, dressing, grooming), light activity or walk.
- Late morning (11–12): hydration, social check-in, quiet activity (puzzle, music, reading).
- Lunch (12–1): meal, medications, brief rest after eating.
- Afternoon (1–4): outing, visit, or rest period; family time if available.
- Late afternoon (4–6): light activity, dinner prep, dinner, evening medications.
- Evening (6–8): wind-down activity, hygiene, settling routine, bedtime.
Guide Talking with someone who has dementia Communication patterns that lower frustration for everyone: client, family, and PSW.
- Slow your pace. Aim for one idea per sentence, with a pause after each.
- Use names and concrete nouns instead of pronouns (“your daughter, Sarah” rather than “she”).
- Offer choices in pairs (“tea or water?”) rather than open questions (“what would you like?”).
- Validate the feeling before correcting a fact. The emotion is real even when the detail is off.
- Use touch and eye contact deliberately. They often carry more meaning than the words.
- Cue what comes next rather than asking about it (“now we’ll wash up” vs “ready for a bath?”).
- When agitation rises, redirect rather than reason. A walk, a song, a familiar photo.
Self-check Caregiver wellness check A short self-assessment for family members carrying the day-to-day care load. If most of these ring true, it’s time to talk about respite.
- I have changed or cancelled my own medical appointments to keep up with caregiving.
- I feel guilty when I take time for myself, even briefly.
- I am sleeping less than I did six months ago, or sleeping poorly.
- Small things that used to roll off me now make me snap.
- I have stopped seeing one or more friends because I cannot find the time.
- I drink, eat, or scroll more than I used to in the evenings.
- I have thought, at least once, that I cannot keep doing this much longer.

Need help adapting one of these to your family?

Every family's situation is different. A HosPall Nurse Manager can help you take any of these checklists and translate them into a specific plan, no pressure, no obligation.

Speak with a Nurse Manager Back to all resources