COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
Shop on weekdays or in the evenings when the stores are typically less crowded.
Do your shopping over several short trips rather than one long trek.
If you use an inhaler or puffer, make sure it's always on hand. If you use oxygen, be sure you have enough.
Lighten your load. Only carry the absolute essentials in your purse and/or pockets. Don't shop wearing a heavy winter coat or lots of layers.
If possible, shop with a friend or neighbour who can help carry parcels around the mall, to the car, and into your home.
Ask for help in reaching items that are beyond your grasp or too heavy to lift on your own.
Use catalogues and shop by phone or online so you can have your purchases delivered right to your door!
Plan menus to avoid unnecessary trips to the market.
Jot down items as you need them or as supplies get low.
Plan your market list in keeping with the layout of the store.
Use a shopping cart and place heavy items near the handle for better leverage.
Transport groceries in the trunk of the car, not in the back seat.
Use a bundle buggy to bring food home from store.
If carrying groceries, load the bags half full.
Know your limits. As soon as you begin to feel tired or short of breath, take the time to sit down and rest, or just stop shopping and go home.
Shopping Centres and COPD
Shop in enclosed shopping centres, not streetfront stores or strip-malls. Going back and forth from one temperature extreme to another (cool air conditioned stores to a hot humid sidewalk, for example) can be hard on your breathing.
Plan your route - start at one end of the mall and work your way to the stores without any backtracking or extra walking. Buy heavy items last.
Whether you're holiday shopping or getting groceries, ask a sales associate to carry your purchase to your car, or arrange for home delivery.
You may be eligible for a handicapped parking permit. To find out, check with your province's Ministry of Transportation. You'll likely need to have your doctor certify your health condition and sign your permit application.
Otherwise, take advantage of the valet parking services offered by some shopping centres, so you don't have to trek across a parking lot with your parcels.
Larger shopping centres offer scooter and/or wheelchair rentals. Use them, especially when walking is difficult.
Putting groceries away
If possible, have a family member do this for you.
Make several trips with rest periods between to carry groceries into the house. If necessary, carry one bag at a time.
Sit on a stool and sort according to storage locations.
Transport items on a wheeled utility cart to their storage place.
Sort groceries at work height, not on the floor.
Helpful shopping hints
Shop at markets where they unload your carts and deliver groceries to your car.
Take advantage of advertised specials so you can buy as much as you can store.
Keep a detailed list so someone else could shop for you.
Don't wear yourself out, and don't try to do as much as you could before COPD.
To keep holidays simple, consider giving gift certificates, or give everyone on your list the same gift. For example, make this the year you give all your grandchildren CDs or magazine subscriptions.
Use seasonal or themed gift bags to wrap gifts- they're just as attractive as wrapping paper, and a lot less effort.
Or take advantage of gift wrapping services offered by some malls and stores.
With new people coming to visit the site all the time, I thought this might help make life a little easier for someone.
Breath Easy and enjoy your week,
Love Always, Holly
Do your shopping over several short trips rather than one long trek.
If you use an inhaler or puffer, make sure it's always on hand. If you use oxygen, be sure you have enough.
Lighten your load. Only carry the absolute essentials in your purse and/or pockets. Don't shop wearing a heavy winter coat or lots of layers.
If possible, shop with a friend or neighbour who can help carry parcels around the mall, to the car, and into your home.
Ask for help in reaching items that are beyond your grasp or too heavy to lift on your own.
Use catalogues and shop by phone or online so you can have your purchases delivered right to your door!
Plan menus to avoid unnecessary trips to the market.
Jot down items as you need them or as supplies get low.
Plan your market list in keeping with the layout of the store.
Use a shopping cart and place heavy items near the handle for better leverage.
Transport groceries in the trunk of the car, not in the back seat.
Use a bundle buggy to bring food home from store.
If carrying groceries, load the bags half full.
Know your limits. As soon as you begin to feel tired or short of breath, take the time to sit down and rest, or just stop shopping and go home.
Shopping Centres and COPD
Shop in enclosed shopping centres, not streetfront stores or strip-malls. Going back and forth from one temperature extreme to another (cool air conditioned stores to a hot humid sidewalk, for example) can be hard on your breathing.
Plan your route - start at one end of the mall and work your way to the stores without any backtracking or extra walking. Buy heavy items last.
Whether you're holiday shopping or getting groceries, ask a sales associate to carry your purchase to your car, or arrange for home delivery.
You may be eligible for a handicapped parking permit. To find out, check with your province's Ministry of Transportation. You'll likely need to have your doctor certify your health condition and sign your permit application.
Otherwise, take advantage of the valet parking services offered by some shopping centres, so you don't have to trek across a parking lot with your parcels.
Larger shopping centres offer scooter and/or wheelchair rentals. Use them, especially when walking is difficult.
Putting groceries away
If possible, have a family member do this for you.
Make several trips with rest periods between to carry groceries into the house. If necessary, carry one bag at a time.
Sit on a stool and sort according to storage locations.
Transport items on a wheeled utility cart to their storage place.
Sort groceries at work height, not on the floor.
Helpful shopping hints
Shop at markets where they unload your carts and deliver groceries to your car.
Take advantage of advertised specials so you can buy as much as you can store.
Keep a detailed list so someone else could shop for you.
Don't wear yourself out, and don't try to do as much as you could before COPD.
To keep holidays simple, consider giving gift certificates, or give everyone on your list the same gift. For example, make this the year you give all your grandchildren CDs or magazine subscriptions.
Use seasonal or themed gift bags to wrap gifts- they're just as attractive as wrapping paper, and a lot less effort.
Or take advantage of gift wrapping services offered by some malls and stores.
With new people coming to visit the site all the time, I thought this might help make life a little easier for someone.
Breath Easy and enjoy your week,
Love Always, Holly
Jean
"Where were you Holly when I came home from shopping?" ok just kidding holly....lol
Naw my hubby puts alway a lot of stuff for me. And he and our son brings it in for me.
awww two big guys helping me....I'm lucky girl!!! heehee
Great Post!!!!
I have what looks like a clutch purse that I take with me to the malls, etc. It opens up into a little cart on wheels that I can put stuff in and eliminate carrying. I keep another cart (the kind you use at flea markets) close to my back door. I take it to the car, load bags of groceries into it then wheel it into the house.
When grocery shopping, whenever possible, I ask for paper bags rather than plastic, if I've not brought my own. The paper bags usually come with handles and are easier (for me) to carry plus they're sturdier. They can also be reused. I also ask the baggers to put the frozen and refrigerated foods together. This way when I get home I can put those items away first and if I'm too tired can let the other things sit until after I've rested a bit.
Oh, one more thing. I use a dishpan with handles....clump items in that that go in any particular cupboard, but not so heavy I can't carry it, then take it to the cupboard. It eliminates a lot of steps and motion rather than putting things away one by one and works well if you don't have a roll about cart.
I have found that the location of the store relative to heavy traffic makes a big difference. I used to shop at a store that was near a mall and 2 major highways. The air pollution was so bad that I had to be dropped of and picked up at the door, and even then, it would set me back for the rest of the day. Then I discovered a store that was a bit further away from all that pollution, and now I can walk to the car myself.
I ALWAYS make sure I have a jacket with me in the grocery store. I always freeze when I get near the produce, dairy or frozen foods areas. It could be 95 outside, and I still need to do it.
We always take cloth bags to the store with us, but if I have to do the lifting, they can only be filled about a 3rd full. The cloth bags hold so much more that the paper or plastic kind. But make sure to have your meat wrapped in plastic, and you'll need to launder your cloth bags occasionally, because they can carry lots of germs, esp e.coli. It's best to have one bag that is exclusively for meat.
Anything with wheels helps!
Hugs, Sue
I don't know if Safeway is a nationwide chain but when I lived in the Bay Area, you could order groceries online and they'd deliver - the charge was $10 and quite often they would waive that. It was a big help and I'd go for it here, too, but although we have a Safeway, they don't deliver here...guess they figure a smaller population doesn't justify it.
Hugs,
Joni
Jean
YOU can go on line and see also. Safeway head corders are here in AZ. They are nation wide under different names....
If you look them up you will find their number and call them and they will tell you. I have forgotten all the names they use acorss the states.
In the south like
texas they are call something, etc.
Wish I could be more helpful for you, I use to work for them/
good luck.....