Planned hospital stay - organizational matters in advance

Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.

More posts by Christiane Fux All content is checked by medical journalists.

Before heading to the clinic, there are a number of things that you should organize, especially if you live alone in a household:

First and foremost, of course, is taking care of children or people in need of care, as well as pets.
If you live alone, ask someone you trust to regularly empty the mailbox and water the plants. It is best to give her the name and telephone number of a contact person who should be informed in the event of difficulties or emergencies. People who may have recently had an operation should not be bothered.
If you are staying in the clinic for a longer period of time, it makes sense to give someone you trust a power of attorney so that they can, for example, transfer bills.
Order newspapers and magazines or redirect them to the clinic.
As a precaution, you should turn off the main water tap immediately before departure.
Unplug all electrical appliances - from electric toothbrushes and microwaves to televisions and radios. This saves a lot of money.
Remove perishable foods. If you are staying in the clinic for a longer period of time, it can make sense to clear out the entire refrigerator and switch it off and leave it open for the time you are away.
Dispose of the garbage.
Make sure all doors and windows are locked and all lights are off.