Don't forget your toothbrush!!

I'd arrived at the visit and straight away I had to get into action. I'd let the paramedics in, the warden was on their way and I was trying to not get in the way but be helpful where I could be.

It's very strange when this kind of thing occurs.Which is why I always had the attitude of not taking each visit for granted. You never knew what was going to happen and when it did, it happened quickly.

So instead of the usual duties required, I hear the words from the paramedics saying 'we are taking her in....Could you get some things together?'

Packing! You don't find details of this in the notes! Health and safety and duties etc are all covered, but packing a hospital bag at short notice ? Nah! Nothing to say what a service user would require in such an event.

On a personal note, I always found packing for myself would take a lot of preparation, a few weeks beforehand. Lots of 'packing lists'.Sorting out your toiletry bag because you always came across something in there you'd forgotten you had. Planning your laundry schedule so that everything you want to take is clean and dry to pack in good time. Oh, and then there's all the stuff for 'just in case' (pardon the pun)!Books,crosswords, music,extras. The list goes on! ( Talking of 'cases', its also nice to get a new bag of some kind whenever you go on a trip, don't you think???!!!!)

Back to the hospital bag. I decided to go down the route of having enough to get by for a day or two. It went something like this:-

Nightie's
Cardigan
Slippers
Underwear
Specs
Wash bag..Including toothbrush!
Medication had already been dealt with by the paramedics.
Handbag
Housekeys

This would obviously, vary slightly for the gentlemen,but you get the gist!

On reflection I think it would help if this kind of thing was recorded somewhere in each persons notes.At the very least you would be able to make sure they had the bare essentials and be as comfortable as they could be in such an eventuality.

http://astore.amazon.co.uk/carerscoffeep-21



Franklin D. Roosevelt
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.