Essential Discharge Preparation Checklist: Getting a Referral from a Medical Social Worker Before Leaving a Public Hospital, and the Process for Renting Electric Nursing Beds and Wheelchairs

Before discharge, simply obtain a referral from the hospital's medical social worker to arrange a full range of post-discharge support for your family member. After assessment, the social worker will help apply for home-based rehabilitation services, respite care services, and placement on the waiting list for long-term residential care.

Make good use of rehabilitation equipment rental services from various organisations to save tens of thousands of dollars in purchase costs. Renting an electric nursing bed and a wheelchair for several months costs only about HK$200 to HK$600. The process is very simple: first call the Hong Kong Red Cross designated collection centre to make an appointment, bring your identity card and proof of guarantor's address to complete the formalities, and pay the deposit and rental fees in cash upon collection. Wheelchair rental starts as low as HK$140 per month, and walking frames are only HK$60 – long-term rental is also extremely cost-effective. If you live near Sham Shui Po, you can also contact the Hong Kong Rehabilitation Consultancy Association to take advantage of their free loan service: three months for electric equipment and two months for standard equipment.

If you want to get an electric nursing bed for an elderly person after discharge but are worried about buying the wrong model, the Jockey Club Age-friendly Technology Education and Rental Centre offers free therapist consultations, with staff helping the elderly select the most suitable electric nursing bed model. Rental is calculated on a weekly basis, so you won't waste money if you rent for less than a full week.

It is recommended to arrange the referral and rental as early as two weeks before discharge to help the elderly person return home safely and begin rehabilitation as soon as possible.