Packing an ER Go-Bag for an Older Adult

ER trips rarely come with warning. One minute you're helping your loved one with dinner, the next you're following an ambulance with no insurance card, no medication list, and a phone at 12 percent battery.

An ER go-bag is a small bag packed ahead of time with everything your loved one, and you, will need for a hospital visit. The ER team gets accurate information fast, your loved one has their glasses and hearing aids, and you aren't scrambling at 2 a.m.

If your loved one has had one ER visit, there's a good chance of another. Pack the bag now, while things are calm. It takes about 30 minutes.

The paperwork: pack this first

The information in this folder matters most. ER staff make faster, safer decisions when they know a patient's medications, conditions, and wishes. Keep everything in a clear zip pouch or labeled folder.

• Current medication list, with doses and allergies. Date it, and update it every time something changes. Need one? Download the free LatterYears medication list.
• Copies of insurance cards (front and back): Medicare, Medicare Advantage or supplement, Medicaid, VA, and the prescription plan. Add a copy of the Social Security card, or at least know the number, since registration often asks for it.
• Copy of a photo ID
• POLST, DNR, or advance directive, plus the health care power of attorney document if one exists. Bring copies and keep the originals at home.
• Health summary: diagnoses, past surgeries, implanted devices (pacemaker, joint replacements), and baseline information like "normally walks with a walker" or "mild memory loss, knows family"
• Contact list: PCP, specialists, pharmacy, hospice or home health agency, and two family contacts
• Most recent ER or hospital discharge papers
• A notepad and pen for writing down names, test results, and instructions

For your loved one: health and comfort

ER visits often last 4 to 8 hours, and many turn into an overnight stay. These items make the wait safer and more comfortable.

Health essentials

• Eyeglasses and a spare pair, or a labeled case
• Hearing aids, a labeled case, and spare batteries or a charger
• Dentures with a labeled case
• A one-day supply of critical medications in original bottles (inhalers, insulin, Parkinson's or seizure medications). The hospital usually provides medications, but these help if there's a delay.
• A walker or cane, brought with you, not left at home

Comfort items

• A sweater or light blanket (ERs are cold)
• Non-slip socks or slippers
• A change of loose, comfortable clothes for the trip home
• A small snack and water bottle. Check with staff before eating or drinking, since some tests require an empty stomach.
• Lip balm and a small comb
• A small container with a lid for jewelry, hearing aids, dentures, or anything else that has to be removed, so nothing gets lost in the bedsheets or thrown out on a meal tray
• Something familiar: a photo, a rosary, a small pillow

Leave valuables at home, including jewelry, large amounts of cash, and wedding rings that can be removed. Swelling can make rings hard to take off later.

For you: surviving the wait

Caregivers often forget themselves, then spend eight hours hungry with a dead phone. A few items make a big difference:

• A phone charger with a long cord (6 to 10 feet), plus a small battery pack
• Snacks and a refillable water bottle
• Any medications you take yourself
• A list of who to call or text with updates, so you only have to send one group message
• Cash or a card for parking and the vending machine
• A book, headphones, or something to pass the time, plus a sweater for yourself

If you're a spouse who doesn't drive at night, add the number of a family member, neighbor, or ride service who can bring you home.

What should you add for memory loss, diabetes, or hospice?

A few situations call for extra items beyond the basics.

Memory loss or dementia. The ER is loud, bright, and confusing, which can trigger agitation or delirium. Add a one-page "About Me" sheet: preferred name, what calms them, what upsets them, how they communicate pain, and their usual level of memory and function. Pack a familiar object and headphones with calming music, and plan for a family member to stay with them if at all possible.

Hearing or vision loss. Pack hearing aids and glasses first. A small whiteboard or notepad helps with communication, and a pocket amplifier can help in a noisy ER.

Mobility needs. Bring the walker, cane, or wheelchair, and note on the health summary how much help your loved one needs to stand, walk, and use the bathroom. This helps prevent falls in the hospital.

Diabetes. Add a glucose meter, test strips, and a fast-acting sugar like glucose tablets in case of a long wait.

Home oxygen or medical devices. Bring a full portable tank, the charger for any device (CPAP, pump), and the supplier's phone number.

Keep it ready

A go-bag only works if it's current and easy to find.

• Store it in one obvious spot, like the hook by the front door or the hall closet. Tell everyone in the family where it is.
• Tape a note to the outside listing last-minute items to grab: glasses, hearing aids, phone, walker, daily medications.
• Keep a digital copy. Take photos of the paperwork and save them on your phone, so you have it even if the bag gets left behind.
• Refresh it every 3 to 6 months, or whenever medications change, insurance changes, or your loved one comes home from the hospital. Swap out snacks, batteries, and clothes.
• Restock it the day you get home from any ER visit, while you still remember what you used.

The printable checklist

Next steps

Not every problem needs the ER. Home From the ER: Who to Call When Something Changes walks through 911, the nurse line, urgent care, and the PCP, so you reach the right one.

This article is general information for family caregivers, not medical advice.