Home from the hospital? Let’s make the first two weeks easier.
Rides, meals, the follow-up visit and who’s stopping by. Start with the people around Dad, line up help near him, and keep everyone in the loop, with Dad deciding what’s shared.
An illustrative example
Every family and every recovery is different. Follow the hospital’s discharge instructions, and talk to a navigator about what fits your situation. It’s free.
Having surgery yourself?
Getting ready for your hip or knee surgery
The first weeks at home go better with a plan. Line up who drives you, who checks in the first few nights and who brings meals, before you go in. You decide what to ask for and who sees it.
Free for you, always. Your Circle gets everyone on the same page. Nobody has to do anything they haven’t said yes to.
- 1
Book your ride there and back
Someone to drive you in and to pick you up when you leave the hospital.
- 2
Line up the first few nights
Who stays over or checks in each evening.
- 3
Get the house ready
Clear the walkways, move everyday things to waist height and set up a firm chair with arms.
- 4
Fill the freezer
Meals for the first week, or a list of who drops them off and when.
- 5
Share out the physio rides
Follow-up and physio visits add up. Put them on one calendar so the driving is shared.
From our founder
I’ve taken my parents home from the hospital on 8 different occasions. It’s never the same twice.
Every homecoming was different. What made each one easier was planning around it: a calm plan for food, so nobody was scrambling at dinner time, the jobs shared out, so no one person carried it all, and, when I could, a navigator to take the stress of the research off my plate. That’s why we built Hello Pearl.
Expect the team to change
Information can feel like broken telephone, especially on a weekend when the doctor you usually deal with is off. We had one doctor try to discharge my dad and the next one say he needed to stay indefinitely. You can’t always sort out a mix-up like that, unfortunately, but expecting it, and writing down who to speak to, is sometimes the best thing you can do to organize the chaos.
Angie Kramer, founder of Hello Pearl, Oakville
Local help for the first weeks
Businesses that make coming home easier
Family and friends can’t cover everything. These are the local businesses families lean on most after a hospital stay. In The Market, coming soon, you’ll find Trusted Providers for each one and invite them straight into your Circle.
Food and errands
- Meal delivery
- Grocery delivery
- Pharmacy delivery
- Errands and shopping help
Getting around
- Rides to appointments
- Accessible transportation
- Medical equipment rental and delivery
Home and yard
- Lawn and garden
- Snow clearing
- Cleaning
- Laundry
- Handyman, grab bars and ramps
Health and recovery
- Personal support workers
- Nursing at home
- Physio at home
- Foot health
Everyday life
- Companion visits
- Pet sitting and dog walking
- Hair at home
- Tech help
Who’s this plan for?
Pick who’s at the centre and we’ll write this page around them.
The first two weeks, planned together
Here’s what the first two weeks often look like. Use it as a guide, share it with your Circle, and change anything that doesn’t fit Dad.
Line up help near Dad for the first few weeks
Compare local companies, see who your Circle already uses or ask your Circle for a name. Here’s how it will work in The Market. The names below are examples.
Home support
A few hours of help at home each day while Dad gets his strength back.
A short stay for a few weeks
Not quite ready to be home alone? Some residences offer short stays while Dad recovers.
Food delivery
Ready-made meals or groceries at the door, so nobody cooks on day one.
Cleaning
A tidy home without Dad lifting the vacuum.
Mobility equipment
Rent or buy a walker, shower chair or grab bars, delivered before he’s home.
Doctor’s visit
Book the follow-up with his family doctor, or a home visit if getting out is hard.
Get the neighbours involved
A neighbour can grab the mail, shovel the walk or pop in to say hi. Share just that part of the plan, nothing more.
Company for movie night
Someone to come by, make popcorn and watch a movie with Dad. Good company helps him feel like himself again.
How to choose well
Questions we suggest asking any company before you say yes.
Everyone who helps, in one Circle
Family, friends, local pros and the apps you already use. Dad stays at the centre and decides who’s in. The names here are examples.
Not sure who to include? Start with our Circle builder.
Prompts for everyone from his bank to his dog walker, plus the things Dad wants to do. Free, about 10 minutes, and you can download your list to keep and share.
Build Dad’s CircleLess chasing, more living
Everyone stays in the loop, so nobody has to hold it all in their head.
Ask for a hand
Post a request once. The right person says yes, and everyone sees it’s handled.
A daily check-in
Dad shares how he’s feeling in one tap, and the Circle can send a smile back.
One shared calendar
Appointments, visits and deliveries in one place, so nobody double-books.
Dad decides who sees what
Trusted Providers only see the steps they’re part of, nothing more.
Questions families ask
Something else on your mind? A navigator can talk it through with you.
No tech skills needed. Dad can check in with one tap, or let his Circle handle the details while he stays in charge of who is in and what they see.
Plans are coming to Pearl soon. Today you can build Dad’s Circle with our Circle builder and download your list, so everyone is ready when plans arrive.
Starting a Circle is free, and one person at the centre joins each Circle free. Plus is $15 CAD a month or $150 a year, with a 14-day free trial.
Only the people in the Circle, and only what they are invited to see. Trusted Providers see the steps they are part of, nothing more.
Yes. A Pearl navigator can help you get started and find local help. It is free, with no account needed.
Coming home is the goal. We’ll help with the rest.
Start a free Circle around Dad, or talk to a navigator who can help you set it up.
More life events
Big changes and everyday ones. Each one starts with the people around you.
Planning to downsize
A calm plan for sorting, selling and settling in somewhere new.
Getting organized
One place for the people, dates and details that keep life running.
Build your Circle
List everyone who helps, from family to the dog walker, in about 10 minutes.