Your mom has Alzheimer’s. When you take her shopping, she fills the cart with unnecessary items. She’s spending too much money, but you’re not sure what to do. This is a common problem and one that’s corrected with a few tricks.
Plan Menus Before You Leave the House
Create a menu with your mom. Once you have the dinners she wants to have during the week, write out the ingredients she’ll need. Go through her items to see what’s missing and what’s in stock. If she needs help figuring out what to have, many culinary websites have menu plans that cover an entire week or month. In addition, some also include printable shopping lists that you can use when figuring out what your mom needs.
Create a Shopping List
Inventory the items in her pantry, cupboards, fridge, and freezer. She may feel that she’s low on rice when she actually has a bag tucked into the back of a cupboard. Make sure the list is complete and bring it with you to the store. You can keep a list on the fridge for her to check off items that she’s used up during the week.
Withdraw Cash and Bring a Calculator
One of the best ways to prevent overspending is by shopping with cash. If she only has $80 in hand, she can’t spend more than that at the register. Keep a running total on the calculator and make sure she knows where the total is. When she sees a splurge item, she’ll have to decide if it’s more important to her than necessities.
When She’s Not Looking, Put Back What’s Unnecessary
From time to time, your mom will put things in the cart that she doesn’t need. Use your judgment. If she’s found a clearance box of crackers that are not expensive, let her have them. If she’s adding $20 cakes from the bakery, that’s an item to sneak back when she’s not paying attention.
If you’re pressed for time, you can always try to shop without your mom joining you. If she’s not agreeable with that, hire a senior care professional to help with errands. A caregiver can take a list, drive your mom to the store, and get the shopping done while you’re at work or taking care of your
kids. Call a senior care agency to learn more about transportation and shopping services.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering home care services in Orinda, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care. Call today: (415) 795-2203
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