When you need to leave your home for several days to visit the hospital, it’s important to leave your house in good shape. If you have pets or other daily tasks, you should ask for help from a friend or neighbor to keep the household running while you’re away. Sometimes you might not be sure how long you’ll be away for. In these cases, it’s best to anticipate a worst-case scenario and plan for up to a week away. When you work with the veteran’s medical center in Los Angeles, they can often offer help with organizing your home life and accessing support when you arrive at the facility.
Other than that, here are some tips for how to leave your house prepared when you have to go away for a prolonged hospital stay.
Ask Someone to Swing By While You’re Gone
Even if you’ll only be gone for a few days, it’s a good idea to ask a trusted friend to stop by the house. If there’s no one else home to take care of, your friend can water plants and take in the mail. You don’t want your house to appear empty while you’re away. It’s a good idea to give several people a key to your place while you’re gone.
This is also useful because there might be a moment when you realize you forgot something at home. It’s great to be able to call on a friend who has a key to your home. They can easily pop by, pick up the forgotten item, and either mail it or drop it off for you. If you’re anticipating additional hospital stays in the future, now is a good time to start building supportive relationships with friends and neighbors. Build a team of supportive people who can take turns feeding your cat or taking in your mail. It takes a team effort to get through difficult times, and there’s no shame in asking for help.
Toss Out Old Food
But first, there are some things you can take care of yourself before you leave the house. Do a quick pass through the fridge to get rid of any food items that will expire while you’re away. There’s nothing more disheartening than returning home after a hospital visit to a fridge full of stinky, expired food. Spend two minutes tossing out everything that won’t be good when you come back. This includes dairy products, fresh fruits, and any other leftovers that won’t keep.
If the fridge looks empty now, write yourself a note to order takeout on your first night back. Food is a valuable source of comfort during trying times. Make sure you’re providing nourishment for yourself and other members of the household during a difficult hospital stay. Military families get medical assistance in California with recovery and therapy, and keeping the cupboards stocked with healthy and delicious food is a great way to complement the state’s support.
Empty Garbages
While you’re cleaning out the fridge, gather up the garbage cans from around the house and empty them into a secure bin. Place fresh bags in the cans and you’ll be much happier when you return home. People often forget about emptying the garbage cans before they go for a hospital stay. After all, most garbage cans are contained with a lid and they might not smell much.
However, when left alone for up to a week, garbage can get really smelly. Not only this, but garbage can attract pests or dogs. If you need help managing all of this, contact a veterans association in Los Angeles for recommendations about house cleaning services. No one should have to go through a hospital stay alone. It’s understandable that emptying the garbage is not top-of-mind for people who are facing a hospital stay. If you need it, get help maintaining the cleanliness of the house while you’re away.
Pack a Bag
This is an important step. Before you leave the house for a prolonged hospital stay, think about the items you or your family members will want. Whether it’s an overnight stay or something longer, there are comfort items from home that can make a big difference at the hospital.
The first items in your hospital bag should be several changes of clothes. You’ll want extra underwear, several changes of socks, loose pants and a loose shirt, and a warm sweater for those cold hospital nights. Make sure you have enough items for everyone.
Next, you’ll want to gather up any essential entertainment or professional tools. For instance, you may want to bring a book, a tablet, a laptop, chargers, a notebook, and your reading glasses. If you will be spending long hours in the hospital, it’s a good idea to bring along enough material to keep yourself occupied for a full week.
Finally, think about items like insurance cards, birth certificates, and other administrative material that might be needed in the hospital. Don’t bring any primary materials with you, as you don’t want to risk anything getting lost. Instead, locate them, take photos, and save them to a special folder on your phone.
Tidy Up
Finally, do a quick burst of cleaning before you leave the house. Get children involved in putting away toys, emptying the dishwasher, and generally tidying up the common spaces. This will make a huge difference to your mental state, knowing that you left behind a clean home. Plus, when you return after your prolonged hospital stay, you can come back to a tidy and welcoming space. If someone will be helping you out when you return home, a tidy space is a nice way to stay thank you and make it easier for them to help you get what you need.
Before you go away, follow these steps to best prepare you and your family for your hospital visit.
Kws: military families medical assistance California, veterans association Los Angeles, veteran’s medical center Los Angeles
