In our support journey for caregivers, we observe every day that the gestures of daily life are those that carry the most meaning, but also the most challenges. Helping with shopping for an elderly person, and more particularly for a loved one suffering from Alzheimer's disease or related disorders, is much more than a simple commercial transaction. It is a fundamental act of care, a pillar of health and well-being. It is a moment where one must juggle between the desires of the person, their actual nutritional needs, medical constraints, and, of course, the budget.
Here, we firmly believe that information and preparation are the keys to transforming this task, sometimes perceived as a chore, into an opportunity for connection and efficiency. During our training dedicated to the care of Alzheimer’s patients, we devote precious time to these practical aspects that shape quality of life. This article aims to extend our discussions, a practical guide to help you optimize this essential mission. We will explore together how to make shopping a lever for well-being, combining budgetary rigor with nutritional excellence.
Even before thinking about taking a shopping cart, the first step, the most crucial, takes place at home. It is a phase of listening, observing, and analyzing. Going shopping without this preparation is like navigating without a compass: you risk getting lost in the aisles, forgetting the essentials, and making regrettable choices for both health and wallet.
The dialogue: the first essential step
Communication is the cornerstone of your approach. Even if cognitive disorders make exchanges complex, it is crucial to try to involve your loved one in decisions. Ask them what would please them, what they feel like. Sometimes, the answers will be clear, other times more confusing. Do not get discouraged. The important thing is to maintain this link, to show them that their opinion matters.
It is precisely to overcome these communication barriers that we have developed specific tools. Take, for example, our application MY DICTIONARY. Designed for people with difficulties expressing themselves, it functions like a personalized image dictionary. Your loved one can simply point to the image of an apple, yogurt, or a bottle of milk to communicate a need or desire. This simple tool transforms a potential source of frustration into a moment of collaboration and mutual understanding. It is not about replacing speech but providing support when words fail.
Nutritional assessment: beyond desires
Desires are important, but needs are vital. With age, nutritional needs evolve. Muscle mass tends to decrease, the risk of malnutrition increases, and hydration becomes a major issue. It is therefore your responsibility to ensure a balance.
- Proteins: They are essential for preserving muscles and strength. Think of white meats, fish, eggs, but also legumes (lentils, chickpeas) and dairy products.
- Calcium and vitamin D: The winning duo for strong bones. They can be found in dairy products (cheeses, yogurts), leafy green vegetables, and fatty fish.
- Fibers: For good intestinal transit, often sluggish in elderly people. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are your best allies.
- Hydration: The sensation of thirst decreases with age. Think of waters, but also soups, herbal teas, and water-rich fruits and vegetables like cucumber or melon.
Also be attentive to specific constraints: chewing difficulties (favor soft, chopped, or pureed textures), special diets (low salt, no added sugar for diabetics), or possible allergies. For more personalized advice, do not hesitate to consult reliable resources such as the government portal Eat Move, which offers recommendations tailored for seniors.
The inventory: an honest look in the cupboard
The last step of this preparation is purely practical: take stock of the cupboards, refrigerator, and freezer. Note what is left to avoid buying duplicates. This is the simplest and most effective gesture to control your budget and combat food waste. Check expiration dates and organize storage so that older products are consumed first.
Planning: Your Roadmap for Effective Shopping
Once the needs are identified, it is time to move on to planning. This phase is your best assurance against impulsive purchases and forgetfulness. It allows you to structure the weekly meals, ensure meal balance, and control expenses in a very concrete way.
Establishing the week's menus
Take a piece of paper or open a document on your computer and sketch out the meals for the coming days. No need to be a great chef. The goal is to have a clear vision. For example: Monday lunch, cod fillet with carrot puree; Monday dinner, vegetable soup and a piece of cheese. By doing this, you can visualize the balance over the week: have I planned enough vegetables? Is there a source of protein at each main meal? This method greatly simplifies the creation of the shopping list and eliminates the daily stress of "what are we eating tonight?".
Writing an intelligent shopping list
With the menus in front of you, writing the list becomes child's play. But for it to be truly "intelligent," follow a few principles. Organize it by supermarket sections (fruits and vegetables, fresh, grocery, frozen). This will save you unnecessary back-and-forth trips and save you precious time. Be specific: do not write "yogurts" but "6 whole milk plain yogurts". This precision helps you stick to the plan and not be tempted by superfluous products. The list is your safeguard against the sirens of marketing.
Hunting for promotions and good deals
Optimizing the budget inevitably involves actively monitoring offers. Before you leave, take a few minutes to browse the flyers from your usual supermarkets. A promotion on chicken, for example, might encourage you to slightly modify a menu for the week. Also, think about store brands, which often offer comparable quality to major brands at a lower price. Finally, if you shop at the end of the day, keep an eye out for discount labels on short-dated products, particularly interesting for meat or yogurts that need to be consumed quickly.
The Act of Purchase: Navigating Wisely in the Supermarket
You are now in the store, list in hand. It is time to make the right choices, without getting distracted. Every product you put in your cart should meet a need identified during your preparation.
Reading labels: a superpower for health
Do not just rely on the packaging. Get into the habit of turning products over and taking a look at the ingredient list and nutritional table. You do not need to be an expert. Focus on a few key pieces of information:
- Sodium content: Prepared dishes often contain far too much, which is not recommended in cases of hypertension.
- Amount of added sugars: Favor products that contain as little as possible, like "no added sugar" applesauce.
- Fats: Look for "saturated fatty acids" and try to choose products that have the least.
This quick exercise can make a huge difference in the quality of your loved one’s diet.
Favoring raw and seasonal foods
The least processed products are often the best for health and for the wallet. A kilogram of potatoes will always cost less than a pack of frozen fries. Similarly, buying seasonal fruits and vegetables not only guarantees a better price but also superior taste and nutritional value. A leek in winter or a tomato in summer will always be wise choices.
Managing quantities: neither too much nor too little
For a person living alone, food waste is a major risk. Large promotional formats are not always a good deal if they end up in the trash. Favor individual portions for fresh products like dairy or desserts. Learn to use your freezer: you can buy a pack of meat, divide it into individual portions, and freeze what will not be consumed within two days. This is an excellent strategy to take advantage of interesting prices without wasting.
Involving the Person Being Assisted: A Moment of Sharing
If your loved one's health allows it, turning shopping into a shared activity can be extremely beneficial. It is an outing that breaks isolation, stimulates physically and cognitively, and strengthens your bond.
Creating rituals around shopping
Involvement is not limited to the visit to the supermarket. It can start well before and continue long after. We often encourage the creation of small rituals. For example, before making the list, you could spend some time together browsing a cookbook.
This is where tools like our EDITH tablet program make perfect sense. It is not just about games, but about supports to create a bond. You could start a fruit and vegetable recognition game to stimulate their memory and initiate a discussion about what they would like to eat. "Look, you recognized the strawberry! Would you like a strawberry tart this week?". These playful activities, developed within the framework of our training such as the one on stimulation and creating connections, transform an obligation into a moment of pleasure and shared cognitive stimulation. After shopping, sorting the food can also become an exercise: "Can you tell me where we store the milk? And the carrots?".
Shopping together, if possible
If a trip to the supermarket is feasible, choose the right time: a weekday morning, when there are fewer people and less noise, to avoid overwhelming stimulation. Do not try to do everything at once. A short list for a quick visit will be more enjoyable. Let your loved one push the cart, choose their fruits, or take items from the shelf. Every small action is a victory for their autonomy and self-esteem.
Beyond Shopping: Storage and Preparation
Your mission does not stop once you cross the threshold of the house. Good storage and meal anticipation are the last steps to ensure that your efforts bear fruit.
Optimized storage for safety and autonomy
Organize the refrigerator and cupboards logically and safely. Place products that need to be consumed quickly in plain sight. Put easy-to-snack and healthy foods (a yogurt, applesauce, a washed fruit) within reach to encourage autonomy. Apply the "first in, first out" rule to prevent products from expiring at the back of the cupboard. This organization is also a matter of food safety, as health agencies such as the ANSES remind us.
Preparation in advance: adapted "batch cooking"
You do not need to spend your entire Sunday in the kitchen, but a few simple gestures can greatly facilitate the week. Wash and cut some vegetables that will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Prepare a large quantity of soup that you can serve over several days. Cook rice or pasta in larger quantities. Having these basics ready to use ensures that a healthy and balanced meal is always available, even on days when you are tired or in a hurry.
In conclusion, helping with shopping is a complex and multidimensional task. It requires organization, empathy, and knowledge. By following a structured method to understand, plan, buy, and organize, you can not only optimize the budget and ensure healthy eating but also, and above all, make this moment a true act of care and connection. It is this holistic approach, combining the practical with the human, that we strive to convey during our training. Because we know that every detail of daily life matters in supporting a vulnerable loved one.
In the article "Shopping Assistance: Optimizing the Budget and Nutritional Needs," it is essential to understand how to balance expenses while meeting everyone's nutritional needs. For those looking to improve their mental well-being alongside their physical health, it may be interesting to consult this article on 5 ways to make brain training a new habit. This article offers methods to integrate cognitive exercises into your daily routine, which can complement a holistic approach to health.
