Mom or Dad just went to the hospital. Here's what to do first.

A free, printable 4-page checklist for the first 72 hours and the first week, with the Utah phone numbers you'll actually need.

For adult children, spouses and siblings who just got the call
Especially if you work, live far away, or are sharing the job with siblings
Written for Utah: local Area Agencies on Aging, Utah SHIP, Medicaid, OLST forms

Download the free PDF

No email, no sign-up. 4 pages, US Letter, prints fine in black & white.

Page 1 of the checklist: the first 72 hours, with checkboxes for what to ask, what to bring and who to call

What's inside

1 · First 72 hoursWhat to ask the doctor, what to bring, who to tell, and why to ask every day whether your parent is "inpatient" or "under observation" (it changes what Medicare pays for rehab).

2 · The first weekDischarge planning, rehab vs. home, the Medicare notices you'll get, appeal deadlines, and the paperwork worth finding now.

3 · Utah help: who to callUtah Aging & Adult Services, the Area Agencies on Aging (full county list linked), SHIP Medicare help, Adult Protective Services, 211, Medicaid, FMLA. Links checked Oct 2026.

4 · Sibling sharing sheetOne page so everyone knows the facts and their job: who talks to staff, visits, bills, the house, rides and updates.

Want the fuller Utah kit?

We're building a paid version for families who are in this for more than a week. We'll email you once when it's ready, and you can decide then. The free checklist stays free.

Expanded 72-hour and discharge checklists
A sibling planner for sharing the load
Work & leave pack: scripts and templates for telling your boss, FMLA basics, a leave request email

Planned price: about $9–15. Nothing to buy today.

Privacy, plainly

What we count

Anonymous counts only: page views, PDF downloads and sign-ups, plus the site that sent you (for example a "ref" tag in the link). No cookies, no ads, no third-party trackers. We never store your IP address; to stop spam we keep a scrambled, daily-changing code for about 2 minutes.

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Stored only if you tick the box, used only to tell you about the fuller kit, never sold or shared. The optional answers help us decide what to build.

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Please read

This checklist is general information, not medical or legal advice. Rules change, and Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and private plans can differ from Original Medicare. Confirm details with the hospital, your parent's plan, Utah SHIP or a licensed professional.

Family Hospital Checklist is an independent free guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency, hospital or insurer. In an emergency, call 911.