So..."Let Elderly People Shop Early" - what's "Elderly"?

[Pellice]

I admit, I plan to take advantage of it. I am mid-60s, healthy so far. And, luckily, I am a super early riser, because our local grocery's "senior hours" are 6-7:30 am! My elderly neighbor hasn't gotten up that early ever since learving work. I'll be helping her out periodically, but she is already getting antsy. I don't think she's ever ordered online, I should help her with that, but should I interact with her? She's hard of hearing, and needs to be close by.

 

[Amethyst]

I will, too. I'm 63. Husband is older, so I should be the one to go out and shop.

My experience with trying to "help elderly learn" new things is limited, but has not met with much success. The really old ones want step-by-step, immutable instructions; and that's not the way the Internet works.

I admit, I plan to take advantage of it. I am mid-60s, healthy so far..... I don't think she's ever ordered online, I should help her with that, but should I interact with her? She's hard of hearing, and needs to be close by.

 

[Pellice]

And many, many "elderly" are in a pattern of "just-in-time" shopping that is hard to break. I remember my grandmother's being unwilling to be left behind on shopping expeditions, even though it would have been more convenient for my mother to pick up groceries and drop them off. So then she would go grocery shopping - and pick up a minescule can of coffee. Upon being urged to buy a bigger can, she would absolutely refuse. "This is all I need." My neighbor wants a printer cartridge. I offered to order one through Amazon. "I want it tomorrow." I asked her why, she said she wanted to print a paper out that she was working on for her discussion group (which is not going to meet.) BTW, there are a whole lotta people out there with broken printers, judging from anecdotal data.

 

[target2019]

Looks like numerous stores are cutting hours they stay open, while dedicating hour(s) to senior shoppers. 65 is the magic age.

 

[Telly]

In the US, the "legal" age of elderly is 65 and up... the statutes of "Crimes Against the Elderly", which allow step-ups in sentencing severity, use 65 and up as the definition of Elderly.

This elderly forum member and his elderly DW heard later last night that Target would have elderly hours across the country every Wednesday, the first hour after opening. Found online that meant 8 AM around here, we went arriving just before 8. A line at the door, maybe 50 units (I'll call a "unit" as a person by themselves, or a couple standing together). About half of the units were 60 and up. Some were 20s, 30s, 40s. In fairness, did not see any signs outside that said anything about elderly hour. Seems it is in the news, and on Target's website only, not at the store itself, duh.

Got a cart, I headed for the back where milk is/was. Needed a gal. of 2% and a gal. of skim, that was our #1. A cart double-line braked to a halt about 2/3rds down the main aisle in grocery, traffic jam no moving, could see that they were very very slowly turning into one particular aisle. I thought the milk coolers were way in back still, so took a detour to get to the coolers, as did a few others, I would say all of them back there were "elderly". They did not load up on milk, just reasonable. Only brand there was what I think is a store brand, dated out 2 weeks, so was good. Whether they last before spoiling or not, don't know, their store brand was iffy here in the past like Walmart-branded milk, goes bad before the marked date. Other dairy brands always last to the date. Our experience. But needed milk, so...

Later saw that the big traffic aisle was paper towels.

Bread was totally empty. Having the elderly hour as first hour probably means no bread each time, as the bread that WOULD have been there would have been delivered later in the morning the previous day. Oh, no eggs either. Previously over the days leaving other stores, were people, younger females almost without exception, with overloaded carts with TP, paper towels, and WATER, and that's it. What do people possibly need all the bottled water for? Faucet doesn't work, or they refuse to drink water from a superior water supply, instead want to pay for bottled water often coming from same source of supply? I don't get that at all.

 

[aaronc879]

To make matters worse, we now have vast numbers of young people out of school with no place to go and nothing to do. They can't even go to the movies, let alone a night club. They are a sudden presence even in our neighborhood of mostly retirees - lots of college-age grandkids suddenly at the beach access, driving grandpa's golf cart, Playing Loud Music At All Hours (horrors!) etc. They are not social-distancing at all!

(Spring break had been going on for a while, but these young folks were never around - they had better things to do than hang around grandma's neighborhood).

The police around here put out a statement saying they will be "hands off" for all non-emergency calls. So those loud college kids can be as loud as they want all night and police will do nothing. Speed as much as you want the police won't get out of their cars to give you a ticket so it's all good. This could get a lot worse before it gets better.

 

[jollystomper]

To make matters worse, we now have vast numbers of young people out of school with no place to go and nothing to do. They can't even go to the movies, let alone a night club. They are a sudden presence even in our neighborhood of mostly retirees - lots of college-age grandkids suddenly at the beach access, driving grandpa's golf cart, Playing Loud Music At All Hours (horrors!) etc. They are not social-distancing at all!

(Spring break had been going on for a while, but these young folks were never around - they had better things to do than hang around grandma's neighborhood).

Despite all the warnings, a surprising number of young people I encounter believe that only old people will get sick with the virus. The "immorality" mindset of the young - not blaming them, I had much the same mindset at their age.

I prefer getting all my errands done early, so shopping at 7 or 8 or 9 am is fine with me. If needed, I can look decrepit like the best of them.

 

[aaronc879]

Previously over the days leaving other stores, were people, younger females almost without exception, with overloaded carts with TP, paper towels, and WATER, and that's it. What do people possibly need all the bottled water for? Faucet doesn't work, or they refuse to drink water from a superior water supply, instead want to pay for bottled water often coming from same source of supply? I don't get that at all.

If you have good water coming out of your faucet consider yourself lucky. That is definitely not the case everywhere. My water has stuff floating all over it. I have refillible gallons of water that I pay $.39 for(filtered water from the supermarket) and I occasionally get a pack of 500ml water bottles as well when they are $.10/bottle or less.

 

[aaronc879]

Despite all the warnings, a surprising number of young people I encounter believe that only old people will get sick with the virus. The "immorality" mindset of the young - not blaming them, I had much the same mindset at their age.

I prefer getting all my errands done early, so shopping at 7 or 8 or 9 am is fine with me. If needed, I can look decrepit like the best of them.

I think you meant "immortality" not "immorality" but these are college aged people you are talking about so I guess they both work.

 

[aaronc879]

I look like I am in my 20's(actually 40) but I am partially disabled due to chronic pain from hip surgeries so I will shop whenever I choose to which is usually early to avoid crowds.

 

[folivier]

The local grocery store just outside of our subdivision hours are from 5am to 9pm. Announced today they will either provide a personal shopper to assist the elderly (65+) or will bring your groceries to your car. All free.

 

[Another Reader]

Since all of these fabulous hotels and resorts are going empty, I think they ought to quarantine we old folks in them, for free.

Here the local authorities have been buying up empty motels and hotels to house the homeless. The homeless constitute one of the largest disease vectors and the most difficult vector to control. Newsom has put the National Guard on alert. My guess is if he imposes martial law, we are going to see round ups and enforced isolation of the homeless. With better accommodations than the tents at the hospitals...

 

[Sunset]

I do wish that we could quarantine the elderly so the rest of us can just get sick and get it over with. As it is the whole damn country is trying to slow down a freight train that's coming from all directions and is invisible.

Flattening the curve is costing the country a fortune.

Packing the elderly into casinos, resorts, and cruise ships for a month would have to be cheaper than what we're facing now. And besides wouldn't they all be happy to get free vacations.

Just watched the President speak, the doctor then talked and pointed out all those young folks running around in groups are going to be surprised to find that data from Italy and France is showing the previously thought "immune to covid-19 death" are wrong, and deaths are accumulating in the Millennial age group too.
Children deaths are still far less.

 

[Nemo2]

Just watched the President speak

We watched it too...amazed at the dumb media questions asking for specific or near specific numbers of future fatalities.......do they not explain the meaning of the words 'unprecedented and unknown' at these 'study from home' journalism schools?

As to the fixated focus on triggered trivial terminology.....

 

[Ready]

The worst thing you can do is shop early at Costco. There are long lines of people waiting for their turn just to enter the store. And while they are waiting they are standing within inches of each other, the exact opposite of what we are supposed to be doing.

 

[ownyourfuture]

Since I retired in 2015, I do my grocery shopping late
(Between 9:30 PM & 10:30 PM)
Don't have to put up with those who stand there in a trance like state for several minutes, trying to determine which of the 10 pork chops is the best.
It's a beautiful thing

 

[W2R]

I'm seeing stuff about "let elderly people shop early." And we are told COVID-19 is especially hard on people over 60 with pre-existing conditions.

So, who gets to be "elderly" and shop early? 60+? 70+? Do we show age ID? Look decrepit?

(Do you even care about shopping early?)

Frank just found out that two of our local grocery stores allow only elderly shoppers between 8-9 AM. Although I am usually not awake at such early hours, I'll set my alarm! I like that idea because I don't want to battle huge crowds at the store, and also people are saying that the shelves are better stocked at that time of day.

We are both old enough to qualify.

 

[Nemo2]

60s? Elderly? Young punks.

 

[W2R]

60s? Elderly? Young punks.

Hey, before Katrina one of the big local grocery store chains offered a sizeable senior discount on groceries if bought on Wednesday. I think it was 6% off but don't actually remember. Anyway I got that discount at 55 years old and maybe earlier.

Seniors loved it, and not just because of the discount but also because it was like stepping back in time. People were so polite and considerate to one another. Young people liked it too because when they shopped they didn't have to deal with as many seniors walking more slowly, stopping to chat, and so on.

 

[Corporateburnout]

Ummm... no.
Now days you need 2 people, 1 to shop and 1 to watch the cart so nobody uses your cart as available stock from which to fill their cart while your back is turned.

Exactly what happened to DW last Friday. She left her fully loaded cart in isle 5 and went back to pick up a bottle of ketchup from isle 6. When she returned her cart was gone..... The store manager found it in isle 12. An honest mistake or someone attempting to save time in a crowded store?

 

[harley]

Since I retired in 2015, I do my grocery shopping late
(Between 9:30 PM & 10:30 PM)
Don't have to put up with those who stand there in a trance like state for several minutes, trying to determine which of the 10 pork chops is the best.
It's a beautiful thing

I prefer that too, but the stores around here are starting to close early. Plus, if you wait you are picking through the dregs. I'm planning to go in the next few days to stock up on a few more staples (onions, other veggies, dog supplies, etc.), then a trip to Lowes for a few project related things. After that I'm home for at least a week or two. Plus we started a planter of lettuce and some other pots with other veggies. The lettuce, which is a major spoilable staple for us should be harvest ready in about 4 weeks. The others are partially for fun, partially in case they help. Being in FL helps with this, as it's too early to plant much up north yet.

Edit: to make this relevant to the OP, I'm only 64, so don't qualify. And down here in SWFL there are sooo many more elderly than non that they'd need to create elderly shopping days, not hours.

 

[Corporateburnout]

I attempted to place an online order with our store delivery service Pepod but after I loaded the cart no delivery date was available through 3/31. You think they would advise you before you shop.......

I guess we will use the senior shopping time between 6-7:30 starting tomorrow.

 

[W2R]

I attempted to place an online order with our store delivery service Pepod but after I loaded the cart no delivery date was available through 3/31. You think they would advise you before you shop.......

I guess we will use the senior shopping time between 6-7:30 starting tomorrow.

We didn't go to the early morning senior shopping time, this morning. But, this was a photo of it. It apparently wrapped all around the store and down the block. I was surprised.

 

[Ready]

We didn't go to the early morning senior shopping time, this morning. But, this was a photo of it. It apparently wrapped all around the store and down the block. I was surprised.

They don’t look like they are standing 6 feet from each other. So much for social distancing.

 

[W2R]

They don’t look like they are standing 6 feet from each other. So much for social distancing.

Yeah. That doesn't look like something I want to do.