A hospital stay is easier when the practical things are sorted. With a planned admission you have time to prepare. With an emergency you do not, which is why it helps to have the basics written down in advance, so someone else can step in.
What to pack
Pack light. Space is usually small, and valuables can go missing. Check the letter from the hospital, as some wards have their own advice.
- Your medicine in its original packaging, and an up-to-date medicine list.
- Your admission letter, health card or ID, and any insurance details.
- Glasses, hearing aids, dentures, and spare batteries or a case for each.
- Phone, charger and a long cable. A list of important phone numbers on paper too.
- Comfortable clothes, nightwear, a cardigan, socks and slippers with a firm sole.
- Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, comb, lip balm, moisturiser.
- Something to pass the time: a book, puzzles, headphones.
- A little cash for a kiosk or café. Leave jewellery and larger sums at home.
- Walking aids you use at home, such as a stick or walker, labelled with your name.
It is a good idea to keep a small bag ready if you or your partner have a condition that can lead to sudden admissions.
The medicine list
A clear medicine list is one of the most useful things you can bring. Write down each medicine, the dose, when you take it, and why. Include what you buy without a prescription, vitamins and supplements. Add allergies and any reactions to medicine or food.
Keep one copy in your wallet and one where your partner or children can find it. If you are admitted in an emergency, it may be the only list the staff see in the first hours.
Who to tell
- Your partner, children or the person who would help you.
- Whoever you have arrangements with: a carer, home help, a club or volunteer group, a neighbour who expects you.
- Your employer, if you are working. Ask about sick notes and how long you may be away.
- Anyone you care for, such as a partner, grandchildren or someone you visit, and who will cover for you.
Who may receive information
Hospitals take confidentiality seriously. Staff may not tell your family how you are unless you agree, and the rules differ by country. Tell the ward who your next of kin is, and who may receive information about you. If there are people who should not be told, say so too.
If you may become too ill to decide for yourself, it can help to have your wishes about treatment written down, and to have thought about who could speak for you. Our guide to wills, powers of attorney and advance directives explains what these papers are for.
At home while you are away
Pets
Who feeds the cat, walks the dog, cleans the cage? Arrange it before you go, and write down food, amounts, habits, medicine and the vet's number. In an emergency, this is often the first thing family worries about.
Post, bills and the home
- Ask someone to collect the post, or pause deliveries such as newspapers.
- Check which bills fall due while you are away. Most are paid automatically; the others may need paying in advance.
- Empty the fridge of what will go off, and take out the rubbish.
- Turn the heating down but not off in cold weather, and close windows.
- Give a spare key to someone you trust, and tell them where the stop valve and fuse box are. See where to turn off the water.
- Water the plants, or give them to a neighbour.
If your partner depends on you
Many older couples share the jobs: one does the money, the other the medicine and the appointments. If the one who does the money goes into hospital, the other may not know which bills are due or how to log in to the bank. Talk about this before it happens. A short written overview of the household, and a power of attorney at the bank, can make the weeks of a hospital stay much calmer.
In Handover: If something happens has a topic called If one of us is in hospital, and Health and medicine holds Medicine, Conditions and allergies, Next of kin and The hospital bag.
Coming home
Ask the ward before you leave: what medicine has changed, what to watch out for, who to call if something goes wrong, and whether any help at home has been arranged. Ask for the changes in writing, and update your medicine list. If you will need help at home for a while, sort it out before the day you are discharged, not after.
In Handover: The animals covers Who takes the animals and Food, walks and habits, so whoever steps in knows what to do.