How to Grocery Shop for the Elderly

Grocery shopping for the elderly is different from grocery shopping for a family. Usually the elderly live alone or with their spouse. Products must be easy to handle, easy to open, and smaller in size.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• grocery list
• coupons to help with costs
• a notebook

1. Easy to Handle Products: The elderly do not have the strength in their hands or arms as they did when they were younger. Lifting bottles of detergent, cleaning supplies, milk, juice, coffee and other products found in large containers, are cumbersome. It may cost more for the smaller containers, but it's easier for them to lift. Buy milk and juice in quart bottles, coffee in 1 lb cans, laundry detergent and cleaning supplies in the smallest size, ketchup and mustard in small bottles, as well as mayonnaise and salad dressings.

2. Easy to Open Items: Make sure aspirin and over the counter medications are in easy to open bottles instead of child proof bottles. When purchasing cans of soup, vegetables, fruit, and meat, look for the pop top cans, so they do not have to use a can opener. Look for cereal in easy to open bags as well as frozen products.

3. Smaller Size Portions: When it comes to perishable food, think small portions. Ask the butcher to package just one chicken breast, pork chop, and 1/2 pounds of hamburger and fish. Look for tuna, vegetables, and fruit in small cans. Try buying the fruit in the individual containers. The individual containers are great for puddings and other snacks as well. Buy ice cream in pints and look for individually packaged novelties. For bread, consider Pepperidge Farm. They have small slices.

4. It's a different approach to shopping when you shop for the elderly. It's not so much about saving money by buying large quantities as it is shopping for convenience and ease. With a little practice, you can learn to shop for the elderly. They will let you know when a grocery item doesn't work for them.

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Tips & Warnings

• Save coupons to help on the cost of purchasing items in smaller sizes.
• Keep a notebook and jot down the best places to find convenience foods and small packaged items.
• Avoid frozen foods or easy to prepare foods that have small print instructions or complicated instructions.

Resources

• More Articles by Hapworth
• How to Care For Aging Parents
• How to Honor Our Parents

[mlt34]

on 10/1/2009 Great article on shopping for the elderly!

[mlt34]

on 10/1/2009 Great article on shopping for the elderly!

[MIghtyDreamer]

on 9/11/2008 Perfect ideas.

[Psalmist4M]

on 8/15/2008 Excellent. Thanks for the info.

[oneloved]

on 8/15/2008 Great tips!