Grocery shopping is one of those household chores people either love or put off until they can’t delay any longer. For seniors, this task becomes increasingly challenging as they lose the ability to remember their shopping lists or lift heavy bags of groceries. These five tips can help you assist your aging loved one by overcoming the most common issues seniors face with filling their pantries.
1. Keep a Running List at Home
Memory loss makes it more likely that your loved one will forget at least one item during each trip to the grocery store. Help your loved one prevent this problem by keeping a list in the house to add to when something runs out. You can also use technology such as smart speakers with apps that allow seniors to record their grocery lists using their voices.
Once your loved one has all the necessary foods, make sure he or she is able to prepare nutritious meals without difficulty. Home care service providers can benefit aging adults in a variety of ways. From cooking nutritious meals to offering timely medication reminders, the dedicated caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care are available to help your elderly loved one 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
2. Shop with Discounts & Coupons
A fixed budget makes it challenging for seniors to feel comfortable buying everything they need. Many stores offer loyalty rewards programs and discount days. Your loved one can also clip coupons and check out the clearance bins. Find out about the types of programs offered at your loved one’s preferred shopping places to get the most groceries for his or her money.
3. Stick to a Familiar Store
Seniors may find it easier to get necessary items when they know the store’s layout. Most stores place main items such as produce and milk around their perimeters and processed foods in the middle. For this reason, your loved one may find the majority of the healthiest items are around the edges of the store. Your loved one should also choose a store with wide aisles to accommodate mobility devices and accessible parking located near the entrance.
Seniors with mobility limitations may need extra help managing grocery shopping and cooking tasks. If you’re the primary family caregiver for an elderly loved one and need additional assistance providing high-quality in-home care, Florence Assisting Hands Home Care can help. We are a leading home care agency committed to changing the way seniors age.
4. Choose the Right Time of Day to Shop
A busy evening when everyone is getting their groceries after work is usually not the best time to go to the grocery store. Since older adults sometimes need more time and space to shop comfortably, your loved one may prefer to shop during the off hours. For instance, going to the store in the morning when most people are at work or school may be easier than going during rush hour.
5. Provide Professional Assistance
Professional caregiving services allow you to choose tasks your loved one needs help with. For example, you could just arrange for someone to give your loved one a ride to the store if he or she cannot drive. Alternatively, your loved one may need someone to go through the refrigerator and pantry to throw out expired food and create a shopping list that fits his or her budget. In some cases, your loved one may need someone to handle the shopping from start to finish.
Many family caregivers don’t have extra time to shop for their loved one’s groceries. If you’re the primary caregiver for a senior loved one in Florence, at-home care is available when you need time away from your important caregiving duties. At Assisting Hands Home Care of Northern Kentucky, our caregivers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help your loved one manage everyday tasks in the comfort of home while you have the chance to take a much-needed break. Reach out to one of our Care Managers today at (859) 328-2656 to schedule a free in-home consultation.