From hospital to rehab in Worcester County: the nursing homes nearest each hospital

The 72 hours before discharge

Hospital discharges move fast. A case manager at UMass Memorial, Saint Vincent, Milford Regional or HealthAlliance may tell a family in the morning that a bed is needed by the next afternoon. The best thing a family can do is ask early whether rehab in a nursing home is likely, confirm the stay is an inpatient admission rather than observation, and start a shortlist before the list arrives.

What Medicare pays

Medicare Part A covers skilled nursing facility care after an inpatient hospital stay of at least three days, when daily skilled care such as therapy or nursing is needed. The first 20 days have no coinsurance; days 21 through 100 carry a daily coinsurance. Time under observation does not count toward the three days. Medicare Advantage plans set their own rules and usually require prior authorization.

The nearest nursing homes to each hospital

Distances are straight-line from the hospital's ZIP code to each home's ZIP code; ratings are CMS's overall stars. The closest home is not always the best choice, and a home near the family's house may matter more than one near the hospital.

Choosing from the list

For each home on the hospital's list, open its page on our site and check four things: the overall and health inspection ratings, the date and count of the latest deficiencies, staffing hours compared with the county median, and whether CMS flags anything such as the abuse icon. Then call and ask how therapy is scheduled, whether rehab patients have their own unit, and who the discharge planner is.

If a family member can visit even briefly before the transfer, do it. Twenty minutes in a hallway tells you a lot.

After rehab

Rehab ends when progress stops or Medicare coverage ends. Plan the next step during the stay: home with home health and private help, assisted living, or long-term nursing care. The nursing home's social worker and the town's Aging Services Access Point can both help.

Rehab in assisted living instead?

Sometimes a parent is too well for nursing home rehab but not ready to go home alone. Medicare home health can bring therapy to an assisted living apartment, and some residences offer short respite stays that can bridge the gap. Ask the case manager whether home health with a respite stay is a realistic plan before assuming rehab is the only option.

What to bring and what to ask on day one

Bring a list of medications, the hospital discharge summary, glasses, hearing aids, dentures, comfortable clothes with labels, and a phone charger. On the first day, ask who the attending physician is, when the care plan meeting will be held, and how the family will hear about progress. Ask how therapy minutes are scheduled and whether weekends include therapy.

Keep a notebook. Rehab stays move quickly, and the family that writes down names and dates is the family that gets clear answers when the discharge date approaches.

When Medicare coverage ends

The home must give written notice before Medicare coverage ends, and the notice explains how to appeal quickly if you disagree. If your parent will stay on as a long-term resident, ask how private pay works and when to start a MassHealth application.

If the plan is home

When rehab ends with a return home, the nursing home should arrange home health services if needed and send a discharge summary to the primary care doctor. Before leaving, confirm the medication list, follow-up appointments and equipment such as a walker or shower chair. Call the town's Aging Services Access Point the same week to ask about home care and meals; the first weeks at home are when falls and readmissions are most likely, and a little extra help then goes a long way.