A trip to the Emergency Room is one of life’s most dreaded eventualities. At One Life Consulting, we work closely with the elderly and their adult children to help them through some of life’s most significant challenges, and unfortunately hospital visits are often a necessary part of that.
We preach preparedness in almost every aspect of our practice, and this absolutely applies to a hospital visit. In fact, preparing in advance for an ER visit can substantially reduce stress levels of everyone involved, and can even impact the overall patient outcome.
Here are some of our top tips for what to plan for (and maybe even pre-pack) for either an impromptu ER visit or a scheduled hospital stay.
Medications that a hospital may not be able to provide, such as certain eye drops for glaucoma.
Eyeglasses and eyeglass case. Contact lenses are usually better off left at home.
Hearing aids and charger. Be sure to instruct the nursing staff how to charge the hearing aids, as these can be tricky. These also tend to “disappear” in hospitals, so keep a close eye on them!
Cell phone and charger. If the patient doesn’t have a cell phone, bring a list of phone numbers of their loved ones.
Dry shampoo, along with a washcloth and towel.
Tissues: Bring their favorite brand.
Chapstick or lip balm: Hospital environments can be very dry
Adult briefs (eg “Pull-Ups”) and baby wipes if they are even occasionally incontinent.
Notebook and pen for the patient to take notes on doctors’ names, specific instructions, etc. Although these are always persisted on medical records, patients feel more in control when they write these down.
A change of clothes. This can come in handy both during a hospital stay and for when a patient is discharged.
Copy of the patient’s Living Will. This isn’t about doom and gloom. It’s about being prepared.
Of course, hospital visits can lead to all sorts of decision making requirements, especially if your loved one will need special care follow up. At One Life Consulting, we’re here to help. Contact us anytime.
