What should I do before leaving the ward?
Collect the papers and ask the questions while the team is still beside the bed. Once you are home it takes longer to get answers.
- Discharge summary and medicine list.
- Operation report, if there was surgery.
- Next review date and clinic.
- Written restrictions: weight bearing, bending, lifting.
- Exercises from the ward physiotherapist.
- Walking aid, commode or bed arranged if needed.
Our page on questions to ask before discharge has the full list of questions.
What should I do on the first day at home?
Make the path from the door to the bed and the bathroom safe. In an Ipoh terrace house that can mean a front step, a first-floor bedroom and a wet bathroom floor.
- Clear loose mats, wires and shoes from the path.
- Put a sturdy chair near the bed.
- Place water, medicines and the phone within reach.
- Light the way to the bathroom at night.
- Agree who helps with bathing and stairs.
Our home safety checklist goes room by room.
What should I do in the first week?
Follow the hospital plan and keep the day simple. Eat and drink well, take medicines as prescribed and walk short distances if allowed.
- Do the ward exercises at the pace you were given.
- Keep a short diary of pain, sleep and walking.
- Arrange a home physiotherapy visit if your doctor agrees.
- Share photos of papers with family who live away.
- Know the warning signs that mean the emergency department.
What should I do in the first month?
Keep every review. Between reviews, build up activity step by step with a physiotherapist so that recovery does not stall.
- Attend the first hospital review.
- Update the physiotherapist after each review.
- Add a short walk each day, in the cool of morning or evening.
- Plan the return to stairs, shopping and, later, driving or work.
Why does this matter in Ipoh?
Perak had the highest share of residents aged 65 and over of any Malaysian state in 2026, at 10.8% [1]. Families here care for parents, and some live in KL or Singapore.
If that is you, read caring for parents in Ipoh from KL. Our family care planner helps share the work.
Which hospital did the patient come from?
The same checklist applies after Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Fatimah Hospital, KPJ Ipoh Specialist Hospital or Pantai Hospital Ipoh. See our pages on discharge from Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun and continuing hospital physio at home.
How do we help?
Home visits across Ipoh are available now through our home physiotherapy service. Our Canning Garden centre, near Fatimah Hospital, is opening soon, and we quote prices on WhatsApp.