How can elderly get household supplies and groceries while social distancing?

The CDC has recently released multiple recommendations to help Elderly Americans understand the ways they can limit their chance of exposure to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). One of the strongest measures recommended has been for seniors in particular to practice Social Distancing as a means of reducing the number of people and places they could come into contact with the virus from. The act of Social Distancing is akin to that of Self Quarantine but is done more proactively than reactively, whereas Self Quarantine is generally only required after a person has been identified as infected by the Coronavirus or other highly infectious disease.

For seniors, maintaining a well-balanced diet and getting enough to eat is crucial for several reasons. Nutrients and vitamins that come from good food can help seniors combat different illnesses and keep up energy and strength. However, as adults age, they can struggle with different issues that make it more and more difficult to maintain a healthy diet and people living alone can struggle to find motivation to prepare meals for just themselves. Mobility issues can also be an issue, making access to grocery stores and restaurants difficult; injuries and illnesses can make it hard to cook and even grocery shop, and cognitive disorders can make cooking a safety risk for some. It’s not always an easy task for seniors to access food and keep up a healthy diet. Now that COVID-19 Coronavirus is a global pandemic, it dictates that seniors practice social distancing, which includes using grocery delivery services.

Thankfully, seniors in today’s world have a number of resources they can utilize to have groceries brought to them, and to help with meal preparation. Here are five of the best ways seniors can get food delivered straight to their doors.

1. Order Food Online From Local Services – Several businesses have recognized the need for seniors to be able to access food without having to drive to the grocery store, walk through the aisles and wait in long lines. Many companies offer monthly and annual subscriptions for grocery delivery. Places like Amazon Fresh and Shipt allow you to have the grocery shopping done for you and delivered to your home. Companies like Burpy and Peapod may only be available in some locations, but with the growing need, these companies are likely to expand and grow in popularity. Some local grocery stores may offer this service on their own. Call and check with your local grocery stores to see what options are available to you.
2. Restaurant Delivery – For those seniors that cannot or do not want to make the food themselves, there are many delivery services that will pick up restaurant prepared food for you and deliver it to your door. GrubHub, DoorDash, and UberEats are just a few of these quick delivery services that will help you get food from your favorite eateries that don’t offer delivery services.
3. Meal Kits – One of the newer trends in online ordering is meal kits. Meal kits are fully prepared meals with pre-portioned ingredients that make it easy to cook your own delicious meals. You can sign up at places like Green Chef, Blue Apron, and Hello Fresh and start receiving meals of your choice and when you need them!
4. Nextdoor – Nextdoor is an online community set up similarly to Facebook. It’s easy to use and you can connect with neighbors and other locals in your community to request service or ask about resources that can help you. This would be a great place to see what type of volunteer groups are available that can be of assistance when it comes to grocery shopping and delivering.
5. Hire An In-Home Aide – In-home aides are excellent resources for seniors who need assistance with any type of daily chores or daily living tasks. Two of the major benefits of hiring in-home caregivers is that they are available for your unique and personal needs and preferences. Plus, they are experienced and reliable. In-home aides can drive you to and from the grocery store and assist you while shopping, they can help you put together a grocery and meal planning list, do the shopping for you, and bring it back to your home. They can also help with meal preparation for those who struggle with cooking meals or find cooking to be a safety hazard.

These options have not been available to previous generations. Seniors and their loved ones that live in today’s world have many more resources available to them and have much more help maneuvering through life more independently. Many seniors move on to assisted living facilities much sooner than they would like to because of their struggles with being able to remain independent. Today, seniors do have the option of living comfortably where they want, longer, thanks to the many growing resources available.

These five delivery options allow the elderly to use social distancing more effectively, reducing exposure to COVID-19 Coronavirus significantly.