The ready to go travel kit

If you are anything like me, then it takes you a while to get your loved one ready to go when you need to go to town or want to go for a drive. Just remembering what needs to be taken and gathering things together can take a long time no matter how short the excursion, add in an overnight stay and things get very complicated and can take an hour or more.

I've started having a ready to go travel kit at the ready. This is a small bag or box or picnic basket, whatever seems to work the best works, into which I place things that would need to be ready to go. Sample items from my ready to go kit:

• A spare dentures container in case my dad needs to take his dentures out for some reason
• A small car-sized box of Kleenex
• A bottle of water and plastic cup
• A few straws
• Something that can be used as a snack in case he is away from the house when he takes a medication that requires it being taken with food
• A medications list - just in case
• A small travel pillow

By having these things ready to go it cuts back on the stress of trying to remember what was needed and gives you more time to remember what you need to take for yourself as well. (I've gathered things for my dad before and forgot what I had needed - such as my purse.)