Some of my clients live at home but can no longer physically manage a trip to the grocery store. As a result, they often entrust an aide or a friend with money or access to credit.
Sadly, those arrangements have frequently led to betrayal, and my clients have had money stolen and their credit cards used for unauthorized purchases. Some of my clients live at home but can no longer physically manage a trip to the grocery store. As a result, they often entrust an aide or a friend with money or access to credit. Sadly, those arrangements have frequently led to betrayal, and my clients have had money stolen and their credit cards used for unauthorized purchases.
I recommend that my housebound clients make most purchases, even groceries, using the internet, to avoid unnecessarily relying on the good faith of others.
In our part of Maryland, Giant provides grocery delivery through an online site called Peapod. (www.peapod.com). Peapod offers most of the same choices as a trip to Giant, and the staff pays close attention to quality: often the fresh fruit and vegetables are of higher quality than the produce found at the local store. Peapod orders are paid using a credit card stored on the website. Peapod charges for delivery and requires a minimum order, but the service significantly reduces fraud and ensures a consistently stocked kitchen with minimal planning.
Harris Teeter also provides delivery through its Instacart service, but on a more limited geographic basis than Peapod. Additionally, Harris Teeter widely offers online ordering and grocery pickup for people who can drive but may have difficulty navigating a store on foot. The store staff shops for the order from the stock on hand, and the customer picks it up without exiting the car. Orders can be pre-paid on the website, so an aide or friend can get the groceries without requiring access to money.
Finally, Amazon stocks toiletries and household goods. It offers next-day and two-day delivery, often at no charge. And, of course, Amazon provides enormous flexibility in payment, as it gladly accepts credit and debit cards as well as direct payment via checking accounts.