A significant proportion of patients who experience delayed discharge are the elderly.  Often times, poor hospital bed management and a failure of communication between the health and social care are the principal contributing factors.   Features of good discharge planning and post-discharge support include:

1. Involvement of the patient AND their families in decisions about their care.
2. Hospital multi-disciplinary teams associated with admissions facilities working in an integrated manner.
3. Adequate and timely transfer of information between services.
4. Timely provision of discharge and support packages.
5. Adequate information to patients and families about voluntary organizations, re-enablement services and financial and social support.

These are the things that you should be receiving to make an informed decision if your loved one is ready for discharge from the hospital.