Is it Possible for an Individual Suffering from Dementia to Engage in a Shopping Excursion?
Making Shopping a Safe and Enjoyable Experience for People with Dementia
Shopping can be a challenging experience for individuals with dementia due to memory issues, decision-making difficulties, and sensory overload. However, with some adjustments and considerations, it is possible to make the shopping trip safer, more enjoyable, and less stressful for both the person with dementia and their caregivers.
Simplify the Shopping Environment
To create a comfortable shopping experience, it's essential to reduce overwhelming sensory stimuli. This means avoiding excessive lighting, confusing layouts, and ensuring clear, easy-to-read signs are used.
Provide Patient Assistance
Staff or caregivers should be ready to help with locating items and payment. Digital payment methods can be confusing, so allowing extra time and offering help with transactions is important. Staff should wear name tags to make it easier for the shopper to identify them.
Prevent Confusion or Distress
It's crucial to understand that forgetting to pay or removing items accidentally may be due to dementia, not intentional shoplifting. Communicating with families if issues arise and considering accompanying the shopper to avoid future problems is essential.
Plan Shopping Trips Carefully
Planning the shopping trip can help reduce confusion and stress. This includes creating a shopping list beforehand to avoid impulse purchases, shopping during off-peak hours to reduce crowds, and choosing familiar stores.
Ensure Safety in Footwear and Mobility
Proper, supportive shoes reduce the risk of falls and improve confidence. Footwear designed specifically for older adults with dementia is beneficial.
Maintain Independence and Social Engagement
Shopping is an important form of social interaction and autonomy for people with dementia; therefore, it's essential to support rather than restrict their participation.
Decision-making and Sensory Overload
Decision-making can be difficult for someone with dementia, especially when faced with numerous options. Simplifying decision-making by presenting two options instead of an open-ended question can reduce the cognitive load. Shopping during quieter times minimizes sensory overload and confusion.
Reduced Fatigue and Personal Space
Taking breaks in a quiet area can help the person with dementia regain their energy and reduce stress. Less crowded stores mean more personal space, making it easier to navigate and reducing the risk of accidental collisions.
Safety and Reviewing the List
Safety is a top concern when a person with dementia goes shopping, as there's a risk of getting lost or falling due to confusion or unfamiliarity with the store's layout. Reviewing the shopping list before leaving the store ensures everything needed has been purchased.
In sum, safety and enjoyment come from adapting the environment and approach to the shopper’s cognitive and sensory needs, offering patient help, and planning trips to reduce confusion and stress. Shopping can bring joy and satisfaction, offering a sense of purpose and routine for many people, including those with dementia.
- Adapting the shopping environment to reduce sensory overload, such as avoiding excessive lighting, implementing clear signage, and arranging stores in a familiar, easy-to-navigate manner, ensures a safer and more enjoyable shopping experience for individuals with dementia.
- To support autonomy and promote mental health, consider allowing people with dementia to make some purchasing decisions, such as presenting two options instead of an open-ended question, and ensuring they have the opportunity for social interaction while shopping.
- Incorporating lifestyle changes and prioritizing health-and-wellness, like selecting footwear designed for older adults with dementia to reduce the risk of falls, is a crucial aspect of creating a safe and enjoyable shopping experience for those with dementia.
