Grocery shopping can be a chore but some seniors do enjoy it. They like being able to pick out exactly what they want and they like the social interaction of being around people. But grocery shopping can be hard for seniors. Seniors with limited mobility can find it difficult to be on their feet for hours walking around a store. And seniors can develop anxiety from worrying about money or other related concerns. Going grocery shopping with a home care assistance provider is a fantastic way for your senior parent to enjoy getting out of the house to shop without the normal stresses associated with shopping. Whether your senior parent is shopping with a home care assistance provider or not they can use these tips to make grocery shopping easier:
Go During Senior Hours
Home Care Assistance Syosset, NY: Seniors and Grocery Shopping
Many grocery store chains offer early shopping hours just for seniors so that seniors who move slowly can get around the store easily without fear of being knocked over. In most places the store is open an hour before the posted opening time and seniors can shop exclusively during that hour. Call your local grocery stores to see what their senior shopping hours are.
Use Curbside Pickup
With curbside pickup you or your senior loved one or a home care assistance provider shops online by adding items to a cart through an app or through the store’s website. Checkout is done with a credit card online and the store staff will pick and bag your groceries for you. All you or your senior loved one need to do is pull up to the door of the store and they will load the groceries in the car for you. If your senior parent still wants to shop alone curbside pickup can make shopping easier for them.
Plan Meals Ahead Of Time And Make A List
Impulse buys are budget busters. And once your senior parent is at the store if they don’t have a list they may forget what they need and buy a lot of things they don’t need while not buying the things they need. Help your senior loved one make a meal plan for the week and a grocery list to get what they will need to make those meals.
Use Grocery Store Gift Cards
Sometimes seniors get confused when it comes time to pay at the register. They may not be sure how much money they have so they give the clerk the wrong amount. Or they may forget how to write a check or what their PIN number is to use a credit card. You can get rid of this stress and anxiety by preloading grocery gift cards with money. Then your senior loved one can just use a gift card to pay for their purchase and you can reload it when it’s time for another shopping trip.
Start At The Back Of The Store And Work Forward
Seniors who have limited mobility and have trouble walking after a short time should start shopping at the back of the store and move forward as they shop. By walking to the back of the store at the beginning of the shopping trip they are making the longest walk when they have the most energy. As their energy wanes they are heading towards the front of the store so they will have just a short walk to the car.