Where to find a service that would deliver food or beverages to an assisted living facility?

Be careful of how he receives additional funds though, because if he's on Medicaid, it could be counted as income and effect his eligibility.

DonnaforJack: Since your brother is not able to afford much, why don't you set up a GoFundMe account for him?

DonnaforJack: If his income is only $25/monthly, I don't see how he will be able to afford very much. Pea Pod offers free shipping for your first order only. And besides, what is he really needing if he's living in an AL? At this rate, he would have to shop at the Goodwill ONLY on THEIR HALF-PRICE DAYS. If he is in need of razors, hook him up with some company like Dollar Shave Club. Else, shop at the dollar stores because $6 and some odd cents per week isn't going to get him much. Something seems amiss here. How is he stuck with so little?

Moonflower, I believe when Meals on Wheels says "own homes" they are referring to seniors who are aging in place in their own homes, away from a senior facility that provides daily meals for their residents. That's why I had asked, thought maybe there was a recent change with the Meals on Wheels group. Thanks for looking that up, the wording on their website isn't quite clear :)

This is what the their site states:

"Meals on Wheels operates in virtually every community in America through our network of more than 5,000 independently-run local programs. While the diversity of each program's services and operations may vary based on the needs and resources of their communities, they are all committed to supporting their senior neighbors to live healthier and more nourished lives in their own homes.

Together, we galvanize the resources of local community organizations, businesses, donors, sponsors and more than two million volunteers – bolstered by supplemental funding from the Older Americans Act – into a national safety net for our seniors."

I have heard in several places now in states, where stores will deliver, for a charge. You could ask the next time you go to your favorite store, or ask your local Social Service Dept for any programs out there that help the elderly. Maybe there is a Blind Association in his area that could give you info. When my mother was in an assisted living center for a few years, there were people who offered companion services to drive people to their appointments, shopping or help them around their apartment, or go shopping for them. The assisted living facility where he is, might know someone or where to refer you. Blessing and Best Wishes!

Meals are provided, but maybe he really likes getting out - even if he has to pay all the money in his account. Incidental items are probably an issue because he has to accept what ever somebody picks for him. Shopping or dining in the community broadens his choice and better allows him to socialize too. I like the idea of the incidental bottle of booze. I think the seller would ID/accept payment only at the store location/point of sale. Too risky otherwise.

cwillie, if you mean an incidental bottle of booze, they deliver.

I think the gentleman is more in need of the little incidental items he can't get at AL, his meals are provided.

Why on earth would Meals-on-Wheels deliver to ALFs? ALFs provide meals to their residents.

Moonflower, do you know if Meals-on-wheels deliver to Assisted Living?

Meals on Wheels 904-388-8187

If he's legally blind, you could see what resources the American Council of the Blind might have for him www.acb.org. And I agree with Grandma1954 (a name that fits me too, btw). Are there no relatives willing to chip in 5.00/mo or so? Find 5 willing relatives and double his monthly spending allowance! And getting a card each month from a different relative should cheer him up, for sure. Hit up the women relatives first... women tend to be more charitable then men in my experience.

freqflyer: Wow! Shopping at Wal-mart had to exhausting for you with your parents! I think I would have just had to just crash on the nearest bed when I got them home!

cwillie, I wonder if some places that are Assisted Living are more Independent Living and vice versa.

Oh good grief.... Walmart + elders = STRESS. Years ago I use to take my parents to Walmart, to them it was like going to DisneyWorld. Dad would get his cart, Mom would get her cart and they would go in opposite directions. Oh dear, who do I follow? I need to clone myself.

It was so exhausting, as I was re-shelving the items as my Mom had problems with seeing, thus she would pull off the shelf a can of peas and then couldn't find where the can belonged if she didn't want that can, so the can was put just anywhere. My OCD would kick in and that can of peas had to go back on the right shelf.

After an hour of me re-shelving, Mom had a full cart and was ready to check-out, but I had to find Dad first. I would sit Mom down in the pharmacy area and go hunt for Dad... around and around and around the store I would go, I walked what seemed like miles... eventually there was Dad... took him back to the pharmacy area... oops, Mom escaped... I would sit Dad down and go hunt for Mom.... eventually I would find her, she left because she was worried about Dad.

After checking out and getting my folks back into the car, which wasn't an easy task, Dad would want to go to Home Depot.... I was so tired I couldn't see straight, told them "no". Imagine going after a half dozen of seniors... it would be like herding cats !!

DonnaforJack: When my late mother was living and especially since she lived alone 400 miles away from me, oftentimes I would use Pea Pod (a delivery offshoot service from Giant Food). They were wonderful. You can place the order on line after you've set up your account of course, and shop ...they even offer sale items just like you would find in Giant grocery stores.

FF, when I shop at Walmart there are often several buses from AL's dropping off and picking up their residents. Were you are perhaps thinking of memory care? Now that would be a nightmare LOL

I think most Assisted Living facilities don't have their residents go out shopping via the community owned bus, there is too much of a liability risk as a person is living in Assisted Living for a reason.

Where my Dad lives, there is an Assisted Living building and a separate Independent Living building, and the community bus only pickup residents at the IL door. One has to be mobile [walkers are allowed], somewhat clear minded, and be able to shop on their own within a certain time frame, as there is the driver and one Aide who helps the residents get on and off the bus.

I remember being in the grocery store and seeing a driver from one of the communities... he had everyone back on the bus except for one lady who still had a full cart of groceries who was roaming around the store... I overheard him tell her it is way past the allotted time, he needed to get the others back to the complex, but she wanted to keep shopping... [sigh]... so the Staff can have their hands full at times.

Aren't his meds being provided by medicaid?

Donna you need to go with him. A blind man in a grocery store? No go.

Why is he only getting $25 a month?

Is the AL that he is living licensed by the state of Florida? I'd inquire with them about not providing trips for the residents who are able to go. I've never heard of place like that. I'd inquire about why he's only getting $25.00 per month too. It doesn't sound right.

He may prefer an outing. Tell the server or staff at table/cash register "This is 2 separate orders". 1 is yours and one is brothers. This documents his expense as separate from yours. Make sure it's evident you did not use his money for your benefit. Easiest way that I can do is to take his receipt to snf.

Request a refund for the actual amount you spent out of your pocket. If the expense exceeds the amount of money in his account, the extra can't be refunded. Same for clothes purchases, barber shop etc.

My spouse's facility won't release money ahead of time. I must spend my money on his behalf, submit receipt, and be refunded up to the amount that is in his account.
I've offered to order meals to go and bring to the facility. He won't go along with this because he still wants the outing along with the meal. I took him out before he became too hard to transport.

It's a burden on families forced to advance funds. They don't always have funds to advance. The accountant's office is open 8-5/Mon-Fri. Family schedules conflict with the facility's schedule. There may be a procedure in place for these situations.

Additionally, resident funds are not to be used toward tips, only the price of the item or service. Family needs to do the tipping with some of their money. Even if the place he goes out to has a campaign to donate $1.00 for hungry kids at the register, he is not allowed. You would need to donate a dollar of your own. When spouse was getting hair cuts at a local shop, he could not use any of his own money to tip the barber. I always tipped from my money.

Merchants usually require an order placed by phone or online be prepaid by credit card. So family has to provide a credit card number. They will deliver if family prepays with a credit card by phone, or cash at the storefront. That's how it mostly works in our community.

I buy a few cans of chili, hash, and tuna when I do my regular grocery shopping and put the cans aside for my relative. I throw in condiments, crackers and cheese, a pack of hot dogs now and then. This holds him over till he gets his check again and saves him some money...But of course, I won't be there for him forever, so it's good to know there is an organization that could take him down the block to the grocery store, it wouldn't take them 15 minutes.

Sendme2help, back when I was doing the inside grocery shopping for my parents, they would review the grocery receipt and if something was overcharged even by $.10 my parents would want me to return to the store and get their money back... [sigh].

My parents didn't understand I would have spent more than $ .10 in gasoline to get that dime. Eventually I learned to just dig in my wallet and give my parents that dime, or quarter, or dollar, and tell them I would go to the grocery store later.... which I never did.

Keep looking especially at grocery stores in my area it cost $4.00 and they bring it to my apartment and put it away for me. I am also sure that in an area that big that there are shuttles that will pick your brought up and take him to the store and I don't know of a store that doesn't help handicap people shop.

The grocery stores that offer on-line ordering and home delivery usually have a minimum order amount plus delivery fee.

I use Peapod for my own groceries and for my Dad's groceries, and Peapod's minimum order size in my area is $60 with $9.95 home delivery fee. Or if someone can pick up the order at the grocery store, it can be ready and waiting for you curb side with a $2.95 pick up fee. I use the pick-up option, and believe me this has been a time saver for me. I can order groceries during a break at work in the morning, and pick my order up the next day :)

Does the facility have a bulletin board? Can the list be posted under volunteer errand needed? Note: It is really hard to shop for an elder if you have to return some items, if something was more expensive than they were used to, or the item was not available and is substituted. Not so hard really, but if the time/effort allotted is expected to be one run to the store and back, it is just not going to happen.

Many time churches have programs with volunteers that buddy up with one person to help the person do things. Our church in Birmingham has a program like that. Does he belong to a certain church? Maybe you can put out feelers to see if there is a program with volunteers interested in helping. This sounds like a situation where a buddy program would be ideal.

Just want to thank everyone for taking the time to answer my question. So many good ideas. Just to clarify, I do take care of my brothers needs and I take him shopping and I use my own money to do so. I live 2 hrs away from his AL facility and I am 71 years old. I am trying to prepare for the day when I won't be around or won't be able to do what I am doing now. The AL facility takes his entire social security benefit with the exception of $50/mo, out of which the cost of his meds are deducted, thereby leaving him with $25. I am checking out all suggestions so far posted on this site, in fact, I had already checked out several during the past 4 months. I will keep checking until I can find some organization or volunteer group that can take over when I can no longer do it myself. Thanks again everyone...your input is greatly appreciated. DonnaforJack