Why the first afternoon home matters

A successful surgery doesn't end when the patient leaves the ward. It ends when they're safely settled at home with their medication set up correctly, a proper meal in them, and somebody to ring if something feels wrong. That's the window where small problems become big ones, and where small reassurances make all the difference.

A standard Discharge Escort gets your relative home in 1.5 to 2 hours. Post-Op Support stays longer. You book the €100 base plus the number of extra hours your relative needs at €30 per hour — typically 2 to 4 extra hours for a single procedure recovery, more for an extended day.

A typical post-op booking

Base €100 — pickup, drive home, immediate settling (1.5-2 hrs)
+ 2 hours at €30 each = €60 — proper meal, medication setup, comfort hour
Total: €160 for 3.5-4 hours of continuous companion care after surgery

You can adjust at booking, or extend on the day if recovery is slower than expected.

What's included beyond the standard escort

Everything in our Discharge Escort plus:

Medication setup — laying out tablets in a weekly organiser if appropriate, reading the labels aloud, confirming dose times match the discharge instructions, leaving a written schedule on the kitchen counter.
Meal preparation — a proper hot meal made and served, or prepped for later. We check what's in the fridge, ask about dietary requirements, work around what's left after a week in hospital.
Comfort setup — pillows arranged, bed made fresh if needed, walking aids in arm's reach, TV remote located, glasses cleaned, phone charged.
Wound and dressing checks — not medical care, but visual reassurance that nothing looks worse than expected; signs to flag back to the family.
Family debrief — a longer update to the named family contact: what was prescribed, what the nurse said, what the patient said, what to watch for.
Quiet company — sometimes the most useful thing is simply being there, making tea, watching a bit of telly together, before saying goodbye for the day.

Common procedures we support

Recovery patterns vary, but these are the procedures we see most often:

Hip and knee replacements

Limited mobility for the first 24-72 hours. Stairs are a real problem. We help with safe transfers, get the home set up around their movement limits, and make sure walking aids are properly used.

Cardiac procedures

Angiogram, stent insertion, pacemaker fitting. Patients often feel fine then suddenly drained. We're there for the second-wave fatigue and we know what's normal vs. what needs a call.

Abdominal surgery

Gallbladder, hernia, appendix, gynaecological procedures. Pain management, careful movement, dietary care — gentle support through the first uncomfortable evening.

Cancer treatment recovery

Chemotherapy infusions, post-radiotherapy fatigue, post-surgical recovery from oncology procedures. Particular emphasis on rest, hydration, and watching for warning signs.

Eye and ENT surgery

Cataract surgery, retinal procedures, tonsillectomies. Often heavier sedation than patients expect. We help with the disorientation that comes with limited vision or eating restrictions.

Maternity discharge

New mothers leaving hospital with a newborn and often without partner transport. We focus on settling both mother and baby at home, with extra care for first-time parents and post-Caesarean mothers.

"I had no family nearby after my surgery. The team at Here2Help made what could have been a scary situation into something manageable. They helped me settle at home and even called to check on me the next day. Real human kindness." — Sarah, Cork

Post-Op Recovery Support