The first 90 days

Hospital stays are short. The decisions made in the last few days shape the next months, so ask early.

1. Ask to meet the case manager or social worker on the first or second day.
2. Ask for a rehab doctor (physiatrist) to see you, and ask if you can go to an inpatient rehab hospital. See Rehab hospitals.
3. Ask what equipment you will need at home and who is ordering it.
4. Ask for your family or helper to be trained before discharge, not on the last day.

Check these off with your team. Print it and bring it to your discharge meeting.

• Talk to a peer. Someone with the same injury or condition can answer questions your doctors cannot. See peer mentors.
• Keep up therapy. Outpatient or home therapy is where a lot of progress happens.
• Ask your team about daily health checks, like skin, bladder and bowel, and pain, and who to call if something changes.
• Write down your equipment. Use the My Equipment card.
• Plan for a power outage if you use a power chair or breathing equipment. See Emergency and power outages.
• Take care of your feelings, too. Grief, anger, and worry are common. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.

• Medicaid: if your income and savings are low, apply now. It can pay for care at home and equipment. Your state page shows how to apply.
• SSDI: if you worked and paid Social Security taxes and cannot work for at least a year, you may get SSDI. Payments start after a 5-month waiting period, so apply early at ssa.gov.
• SSI: for people with low income and savings. In 2026 the most SSI pays is $994 a month for one person.
• Your job: you may be able to take unpaid, job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, and a family member may too. Later, ask for accommodations to go back. See Rights at work on EmploymentWorks.