Remember the concept of having three solid meals a day? Well, kiss that goodbye. You're on hospital food now. As well as hospital parking, hospital visiting hours and hospital sights and smells.

If your mom or dad has a long-term medical condition, it is likely any single hospital visit can be quite extended or ends up being a series of short-term hospital visits, each starting with a trip to the ER. Did you know pretty much the only way to get into the hospital is the ER? And want to guess what priority your arrival gets when it is demetia related delirium? Well, it's not high on the list. You are going to be waiting. 

In my experience, our ER trips always resulted in being admitted to the hospital (eventually, sometimes more than 16 hours after you first get there) and take at least four hours. And guess, what... you are a low priority. Heart attacks, strokes and life-threatening wounds come first. And really, they should come first. But you got called to the ER before your lunch break at work.  You had breakfast at 7am, it is noon and you are not looking at your next meal until 8pm.

The solution? Keep snacks with you at all times. Nuts and dried fruits are good. Snickers bars can help with the chocolatey sweet cravings. But never head into the ER without food in your pocket, bag or coat. 

Eventually, your parent is admitted to the hospital. At least that was my experience. Although it is important to add that when my dad went to the ER, my mom was at home and she is handicap. I imagine if my mom was more able-bodied, my dad would have been released home more frequently. So now you have hospital visits and hospital food. 

Some hospitals have great cafeteria and some are just what you would expect: horrible.