How timely. After a seven hour ER stint a week and a half ago, and another seven or more trips (most resulting in hospitalization) in the last fourteen months with Dad, I am finally constructing a “go” bag for next time!

I guess I would ask if you live close to the hospital or not. We do, so I find I can easily run home and get everything he will need if admitted. If you are far away, or if that would be too challenging, then your list may expand.

Certainly the paperwork you mentioned. A med list is important. If the person has a long list of health issues and has not stayed at that hospital before, a list of their health issues can help. My dad has some specialized needs for daily care, so definitely a supply for seeing to those needs. Water. Jackets (it’s always cold and sometimes blankets are not supplied until much later). If your person has advanced directives and hasn’t provided them to that hospital before, doesn’t hurt to have them along or at least accessible in some way.

If I am confident he will be admitted (he has some recurring issues that will land him there), I pack one of those small cloth grocery carriers with zip locks of the disposable underwear he likes (he doesn’t love the hospital ones), charging cords for his cell phone and kindle and those electronics, a clean denture cup (the ones provided at our hospitals are too small) with cleaning tablets, his charging container for his hearing aids, a box of nice Kleenex (he always has sinus issues and the hospital tissues are tiny and wimpy. He likes handkerchiefs but they just get lost at the hospital), hand sanitizer (he doesn’t like the hospital kind cause it leaves a slick feeling on your hands). A disposable razor and sample size shaving cream and a comb.

In my bag I try to have masks, hand sanitizer, snacks, the lists.

Hope you do not have to go!