Go Bag, not a Bug Out Bag

[RSKY]

With each of us having a parent over ninety years old, four grandchildren, and sisters and brothers-in-law either older than us or in bad health we are always 'on-call' to leave and take care of somebody or something. So we are putting together a small overnight bag for each of us. The idea is to have a bag that can be grabbed and us be in the car on the way within two minutes of getting that phone call. The plan is to have enough to get us by for three nights and days.

Anybody else have this and if you do what is in your bag?

RSKY

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I'm afraid I can't be much help; my father stayed with us the last three years of his life, and my Father in law stayed with my wife's brother, so an emergency bag wasn't really necessary. I suppose your destination would dictate to a great extent what was in the bag; e.g., if you were going to their home, you should have a bed and running water. I would include (1) tooth brush and tooth paste; (2) ALL OF MY PILLS, (3) change of socks, underwear, a pair of sweats, a pair of Bermuda shorts, a T shirt and a telephone.

 

[MossRoad]

With each of us having a parent over ninety years old, four grandchildren, and sisters and brothers-in-law either older than us or in bad health we are always 'on-call' to leave and take care of somebody or something. So we are putting together a small overnight bag for each of us. The idea is to have a bag that can be grabbed and us be in the car on the way within two minutes of getting that phone call. The plan is to have enough to get us by for three nights and days.

Anybody else have this and if you do what is in your bag?

RSKY

We are fortunate in that we live within close proximity to most of our family, so we'd just drive home and pick up anything we'd need. But I think this would still be a good idea for times like inclimate weather when we might get stuck over at their houses. I'll be watching with interest. Good topic. :thumbsup:

 

[CMV]

No different than if you said "We're going to see them for a long weekend on Feb 22". Leaving in 2 min or leaving in 2 weeks, packed is packed

From going through it with my dad & grandmother, 6 hr drive away a few things to consider....

1. Hospitals are cold. Hospitals are hot. - the room you're sitting in with someone will be the opposite of how you dressed.
2. Hospitals are noisy. Esp if you are staying bedside overnight. Seems like EVERY room has something alarming all night long. earplugs, noise canceling headphones.
3. Hospitals are boring. If patient is asleep or carted off for a test or otherwise out if it & you're there, there is nothing for you to do. If kids in that mix, there's really nothing for them to do. If not at hospital, home care situation is still similar - kids will go stir crazy real quick - at a time you need calm. Plan for shifts and a lot more for them to do beyond tossing them an iPad....
4. Consider a garment bag with appropriate funeral clothes. Morbid, but you don't want to be making a long roundtrip home just to get clothes or running to stores & trying to find stuff for visitation & funeral service - carry it just in case & be prepared. Learned that one the hard way....


Not really something to pack, but if a situation looks grim, someone needs to be designated to police the vultures. So many long-lasting ruined family relationships from the vultures coming in and picking through sentimental items when those closest are at the hospital or out making arrangements or whatever. It is so unreal how many family members - that all your life you considered to be normal, decent human beings - feel absolutely entitled to go pick through someone's possessions while that person is literally on their deathbed.

If you don't already have a bag, the SOC 3-day pass is a very nice bag and good size for a 3-day bag for two adults. Pretty versatile, well constructed, and not insanely priced like a high end tactical pack.

 

[TheMan419]

I would think a check list would be a good idea. You need to make sure you grab your meds you take on a daily basis. Make sure the parents have signed appropriate health care and financial powers of attorney so you can make those decisions if necessary.

 

[MossRoad]

We're learning a lot about meds, not just our parents' meds but our own. You don't expect to be gone long, something comes up, you were supposed to take your meds at dinner, and it's 2am already.

 

[bunyip]

We're learning a lot about meds, not just our parents' meds but our own. You don't expect to be gone long, something comes up, you were supposed to take your meds at dinner, and it's 2am already.

I forget to take mine with me sometimes so I have a small alloy tube with a few days worth in each car and on the boat and in my locker at work, if I miss it is not crucial but I suffer from a tremor from a car accident years ago and if I miss one or two it starts up.
I also change them every month so they all get used and don't go out of date.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

It sounds like typical short trip luggage. My short trip bag is a sturdy canvas day pack with only a couple of pockets. I keep toiletries packed all the time in a little leather satchel that fits in the pack. Changes of underwear and socks. A change of pants and a couple clean shirts. Charging cables and charger for cell phone, kindle and tablet. Small flashlight. A short supply of my prescription meds, usually packed with the toiletries. Plastic garbage bags keep dirty laundry from stinking up the fresh clothes.

I always haul along a portable AM/FM/SW/SSB radio that outputs nice stereo to the ear buds. A 64 gig SDHC card in my cell phone holds weeks of music. Either the cell phone or the tablet will double as a Kindle, and DishAnywhere lets me watch anything on the satellite DVR no matter where I am. It takes bifocals, but the tablet screen makes a pretty good TV without interrupting somebody else's TV watching schedule. I can watch "The Walking Dead," and Granny can watch "Murder, She Wrote." You can even load programs at home, so if Granny doesn't have the greatest WiFi you still have entertainment. If you need ear buds, Skull Candy sells a high quality, modest cost set that are great in noisy environments. With a set of muffs, I can listen to music while on the tractor without cranking them up so high I blow my eardrums out.

Except for the electronics, everything sits in the hall closet right under my coat. It takes a little longer than 2 minutes, but I can be out the door in 10.

 

[oosik]

I only carry things that might be needed if I were to get stuck while out on a trip. Warm clothing & blankets. My only family is my son and he lives close. Should either of us be hospitalized - his house would serve as a base of operations.

I always carry a list of my meds. Were I hospitalized they could provide or my son could get them from my house.

 

[forgeblast]

After dealing with my father in law and his lack of knowledge about his dr and meds. I would have
1. a print out of every med they are on the dosage.
2. all their doctors names and numbers.
I felt so bad for the nurse who was trying to get his information. He was giving them his PA's name not his DR's name, knew some of his meds started with an A....it was brutal.