Written from what intake actually asks for, in order. Pack the bag once, keep it by the door, update the list part after every doctor visit.
| Item | Why it matters | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medication list (or the bottles themselves) | Asked within the first hour. Interactions and blood thinners change treatment fast. |
| 2 | Insurance cards + photo ID copy | Registration proceeds without them but slower, and billing friction multiplies later. |
| 3 | Allergies, written down | "Penicillin" alone is half an allergy; the reaction is the useful part. |
| 4 | Health care POA / proxy (copy of the signed document) | Needed the moment decisions must be made and they can't make them. |
| 5 | Glasses, hearing aids + batteries, dentures | Without them, an already-scary day becomes a confusion workup. |
| 6 | Cane / walker | They will be walked somewhere. Falling in a hallway is a second admission. |
| 7 | Phone charger | You will be there 6+ hours. Everyone forgets this one. |
| 8 | DNR / POLST if one exists | Bring the actual signed form — a verbal description carries no weight. |
Say the medication list is in the bag before you arrive. Triage moves faster when they can see it exists — "his daughter has the list" is slower than handing it over.
Someone has to be the historian. When did the confusion start, what was eaten, what meds were given today. If you keep a daily care log, this is a thirty-second answer instead of a guess.