Any ideas for grocery shopping when elderly parent can no longer drive?

FlorayG

Do NOT pay an individual to take her, this is 'driving for hire and reward' and invalidates their insurance!
There are many options; see if there is a charity offering lifts locally, I used to drive for one, they cover your insurance and you don't get paid you only get mileage. Drivers will help with the shopping as well. I only stopped doing it because my new vehicle was unsuitable, because I liked to meet older people and chat to them.
Also look and see if there is a community bus in your area. There's often a waiting list to get on to these trips but sign up if you can. They run shopping trips, pick up everyone and drop them off and the driver or mate helps unload.
Third option is a paid carer, which my mom had as she got older. You are best to find a local self-employed one ( do you have a 'village agent'? They will keep a list. Otherwise ask on your local social media group but be sure to check the person you engage is legal!). My mom's carer had correct vehicle insurance and they became great friends, very soon starting to go out on shopping trips just for fun, and when my mom eventually got old enough to need actual care ( in her 90's) it was nice for her not to have a complete stranger doing things for her
4th option is to get a taxi to the shop, do the shopping and then arrange for it to be delivered ( but be aware most delivery drivers will not come in the house, they are not DBS checked, so parents will have to bring it in from the doorstep)

Wyndham

Thank you all for excellent suggestions. I knew that the MSE Hive Mind would know far more than I do - it really is a fantastic resource for this sort of question!

sheramber

Locally we have a bus service that takes you to a local supermarket and comes back for you 2 hours later. Time to shop and have a cup of tea on the cafe.

It covers different areas on different days. 

Drivers help with shopping bags. 

Taxi drivers are usually happy to load shipping bags and unload them at the other end.

Shopping  bags can be put into  the cart and wheeled to the door to wait for the taxi. Driver will put them in the boot and unload them at the other end. 

Savvy_Sue

On the subject of taxis, both sets of parents had access to what they called 'commcabs', a cheaper taxi service. Googling indicates you might need a Taxi Card to benefit from this, and they definitely had this in addition to their bus passes. 

In general, I'd say that the drivers they called using this scheme were more likely to offer to be helpful than a regular taxi, and they got to know some of the drivers. 

Even if not able to benefit from this, it would be worth identifying a local taxi company who you get to know, if you have extra needs. 

elsien

Savvy_Sue said:

On the subject of taxis, both sets of parents had access to what they called 'commcabs', a cheaper taxi service. Googling indicates you might need a Taxi Card to benefit from this, and they definitely had this in addition to their bus passes. 

In general, I'd say that the drivers they called using this scheme were more likely to offer to be helpful than a regular taxi, and they got to know some of the drivers. 

Even if not able to benefit from this,  it would be worth identifying a local taxi company who you get to know, if you have extra needs

This is a good point. Some taxi companies tell their drivers to walk older people to the door while others just dump and run.  Can vary with drivers as well - we had a taxi company where some drivers really didn't want to drive the clients with a learning disability but others were very  good. So they would send the driver they knew would be ok, 

Jude57

My sister doesn't drive and her mobility is reducing so that carrying heavy bags, even from a taxi, is becoming difficult. She's very IT savvy but simply refuses to do online food shopping because she likes to choose her fresh produce and is phobic about dented tins. She also remembers mine and my niece's early experiences many years ago when, due to our own errors, we ended up with one mushroom or 11 x 2 litres of milk and despite many years of perfectly successful online food shopping by everyone else in the family, she simply won't consider it. She lives in a very small town so is limited to only two small supermarkets but one is a tiny Co-Op which, as a previous poster has said, offers home delivery. My sister gets a taxi to and from the store, selects her groceries and it's delivered a couple of hours later. For my sister this is perfect and it means she can buy all her heavy shopping there and top up or get whatever the Co-Op doesn't sell at the other supermarket. 

SootySweep1

Hi
Do you have any Age UK branch near you ? They offer support to take people shopping. I've tried to copy & paste a link to a page from the Age UK website.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/services/in-your-area/shopping/

My Granny used a Ring & Ride bus service that picked her up from home & took her to a local supermarket on a weekly basis. 

Try contacting your local authority to ask if they can advise if there is a local service that can help.

pollypenny

My 86 year old neighbour has a taxi to Iceland every Tuesday*, shops and gets a bus back. The bus goes up the steep hill, so she gets off near the top, then has a short walk down. 

Her shopping is delivered that afternoon and brought to her door. 

* she gets 10% off. 

EnPointe

Brie said:

Sounds an ideal way for a local teen with a driving license earn some pocket money.  She can go to the supermarket, teen agree to meet to pick up 30 minutes later or at an arranged time, drive her home and help her get stuff into the kitchen and packed away.  Or teen could drive both ways and help with shopping too.  I'd rather spend £10 (or?) that way than on a random taxi.  

Might be a much more pleasant way to earn a bit rather than babysitting.  And an elderly couple may very well welcome a friendly younger person in their lives.  

Massive tin of worms there  with being paid to drive