Stay calm when dealing with a medical examination or surgery. Elderly patients should learn to get prepared for surgery, tests and the relevant procedures. This will help reduce anxiety.

- The day before

• Shampoo your hair, take a shower or a bath, trim your finger nails and remove all nail polish.
• Take off all jewelries and headwear (except jade bracelets).
• Change bed linens, pillow cases and duvet covers after surgery to maintain good personal hygiene.

- On the day of surgery

• Arrive at the hospital on time with the company of relatives or friends. Bring along your Hong Kong identity card, hospital admission slip and personal necessities.
• Take off your dentures and carefully place them in a transparent plastic bag. Do not wrap them up in tissue papers as they may be mistakenly discarded as rubbish.
• Wear button front tops after surgery to avoid accidental trauma to or unintended pressure on your eye(s) when getting changed (patients of eye surgery to note). Bring along spare tops.
• Do not use any hair spray product.
• Do not bring valuables or large sums of money with you to the hospital.
• If needed, bring with you the oral medication that you often take. (You can also consult your doctor in advance on whether to continue with or stop the medication.)
• If you are going to have a general anesthesia, start fasting six to eight hours before surgery, or follow the instructions of the anesthetist.

- Others

• Notify the respective hospital if you cannot keep the appointment.
• Consultation will be postponed when Typhoon Cyclone Signal No. 8 or above is hoisted or Black Rainstorm Warning is in force. Respective hospital will inform individual patients of the new admission arrangements.