Esther C. Kane, C.D.S.Updated April 12, 2022 – Home delivery services for seniors offer many advantages. For one, they provide a convenient way to get meals and other items, such as medicine or clothing, delivered right to your door.
This can be especially helpful for older adults with mobility issues or who are unable to cook for themselves, or for those living in areas where there is no easy access to grocery stores.
Home delivery services also make it easy to ensure that you are getting healthy and nutritious meals.
Many meal delivery services offer menus that are specifically designed for older people, so you can be sure you’re eating a healthy diet and getting all the essential nutrients.
Lastly, home delivery services can be very affordable, especially when compared to eating out at restaurants.
These days, because of Covid-19, there are more people using home delivery services than ever – especially seniors. Even my sweet 100 year old mom-in-law is using an Instacart shopper to get her groceries delivered to her condo in South Florida.
And yes, the majority of home delivery services are food related but as this pandemic continues to prevail, there are a wide variety of companies that are providing home delivery services for all types of things.
Such as…
- Food from grocery stores by Instacart or ShipT
- Food from restaurants by Grubhub or Postmates
- Food from online companies by Freshley or Purple Carrot
- Liquor and party supplies by Drizly and Saucey
- Clothing by Stitch Fix and Gwynnie Bee
- Medicine by PillPack and ZipDrug
- Errands and handyman services by TaskRabbit
- Auto maintenance by Mobileoilchanges (only in NC)
How Can I Get Food Delivered To The Elderly?
Home delivery services for seniors are a convenient and hassle-free way to get nutritious meals delivered right to your door. If you’re a senior citizen who’s looking for a meal delivery service, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
First, it’s important to find a home delivery service that offers healthy food options. There are many meal delivery services out there that use processed foods, so it’s important to do your research and find one that offers healthy meals.
Second, you’ll want to make sure the home delivery service you choose can accommodate any special dietary needs, medical conditions, or dietary restrictions you may have.
Many meal delivery services offer gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian options, but not all of them do. So if you have specific dietary needs, make sure the service you choose can accommodate them.
Third, you’ll want to make sure the food delivery services you choose are affordable. There are many meal delivery services out there that charge an exorbitant delivery fee, so be sure to find one that fits within your budget.
There are multiple ways that elders or their caregivers can get meal delivery for seniors right to their front door (or back door if that’s better). And, if you are worried about not being internet-proficient, family members can always lend a hand.
In the next section, we’ll explore each delivery company a little more in-depth.
Grocery Delivery For Seniors
If you enjoy cooking, you may consider meal prepping to make the task easier for yourself.
These days companies like Instacart and ShipT can do the grocery shopping for you and bring your items directly to your door. The beauty of these programs is that they shop the local stores in your area so it’s not as if they are tied to a specific store, which is great.
Instacart
Instacart is a grocery delivery service that allows you to shop for groceries online at your local grocery store and have them brought to you. There is no membership required and you can choose to get your items from a variety of grocery stores, including Whole Foods, Safeway, and Costco.
Instacart is very easy to use. First, you create an account and enter your delivery address. Then, you browse the selection of groceries and meals available from Instacart and add items to your cart. Once you’re finished shopping, you checkout and select a delivery time.
Then, a personal shopper carefully chooses and collects your items. If the store is out of something you’ve requested, the shopper will call or text you with alternatives, which you can accept or reject.
Instacart also offers a wide selection of meal delivery options, so you can get all the ingredients you need for a delicious meal without having to leave your home.
ShipT
ShipT is a monthly subscription service that delivers groceries and other household items to your door. A membership fee is required, but you get free delivery of your purchases as long as you reach the minimum order of $35.00 (there is a $7.00 charge for delivery if your order is less than $35.00).
There are many benefits to using ShipT, including convenience, cost savings, and a wide selection of products. You’ll never have to worry about running out of supplies or having to make a trip to the store. Plus, with their monthly subscription service, you can save even more money.
You can sign up for ShipT by visiting their website or by calling their customer service number. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll need to create an account and select a delivery day. Then, you can start adding items to your cart.
When you’re ready, checkout and your order will be delivered to your door later that day.
Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh is a grocery delivery and pickup service offered by Amazon.
It’s a great option for ordering groceries online and having them delivered to you. Or you can schedule a time for them to be picked up by you or someone of your choosing at a nearby Amazon Fresh store.
If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can get free two-hour delivery on orders of $35 or more.
To use Amazon Fresh, simply create an account and add items to your cart. Then, checkout and choose your preferred delivery or pickup option. Your purchases will show up later that day.
Prepared Meal Delivery For Seniors
For seniors who don’t want to cook (or are unable to), meal delivery is a convenient way to get a healthy meal. With these services, the meal comes fully prepared to heat and serve. There is no need to go grocery shopping or cook meals from scratch.
An added benefit is that seniors who receive meal delivery can often stay independent for longer.
Magic Kitchen
I think Magic Kitchen is one of the best meal delivery services for seniors because they have so many choices. For example, they have subscription services or can do a one-time delivery (no subscription) to seniors.
With Magic Kitchen, you can also choose from a variety of menu options. You can pick from complete meals or ala carte options, get desserts and side dishes, or choose meal bundles (one dish that is big enough to make two meals).
All their prepared meals are shipped to you frozen, in a cooler with dry ice. Just heat and eat!
The meals are made with fresh ingredients. Also, dieticians ensure the meal options meet dietary guidelines and the nutritional needs of seniors.
Meals for special diets are also available, including:
- Low Sodium
- Low Carb
- Low Fat
- Portion-controlled
- Kidney Sisease
- Diabetes
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
- Vegetarian
Because they have several ways to order, it may be possible to get free shipping under some of the Magic Kitchen meal plans.
Silver Cuisine
Another company specifically for seniors is Silver Cuisine which caters to the special diets that many older adults follow.
With this company, an older adult can get doctor-designed meals for breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner. There is no contract or subscription required (see the orange button below for AARP member specials).
They offer choices of menus, including:
- Low Sodium (600 mg or less)
- Diabetic
- Heart Healthy
- Gluten Free
- Vegetarian
- Mediterranean
- Dairy Free
- Low Carb
Shipping is $19.95, no matter how little or how much you order. The orders come via FedEx Ground, in an insulated cooler that is packed with dry ice.
Restaurants Deliver: Home Meals For Seniors
There are, of course, restaurants that deliver, but there are also restaurant delivery services that can pick up your food orders from local restaurants in your area and delivering them to you, as well.
To use a restaurant delivery service, simply choose the restaurant you want to order from and select the items you wish to have delivered. Once you’ve placed your order, a delivery driver will pick up your food and bring it to you.
Look for companies such as UberEats, GrubHub and Postmates.
Most restaurant delivery services require a minimum order amount, and some may charge a delivery fee as well. Some restaurant delivery services also offer membership plans that give you access to discounts and other perks.
These are great options if you want to get food from specific restaurants that may not offer their own delivery services.
Prepared Meals For The Elderly
Ready-to-cook meals delivery refers to a food delivery service that does just what it says – provides customers with already prepared meals.
These meals are typically delivered frozen or refrigerated and can be stored for a period of time before they need to be cooked.
The nice thing about this type of service is that seniors can choose from a variety of meal options and have them delivered to their doorsteps on a weekly or monthly basis.
There are many companies that provide ready-made meals or kits with all the ingredients you need to prepare a meal. For full meals, check out companies such as:
- Splendid Spoon (only has plant-based meals)
- Purple Carrot (features only plant-based, 100 percent vegan meals)
- What A Crock (has more than 50 types of crock pot / slow cooker meals)
For some older adults, receiving meals that are either fully cooked or partially prepared can be a lifesaver. I recommend that if you are looking to create a senior-friendly home for yourself or a loved one, you consider any of these meal delivery options.
Low Cost (Or Free) Senior Meal Delivery Services
A staple for decades, Meals On Wheels provides hot meals to seniors who can’t leave home or those with low-income. Dieticians provide guidelines in ensure senior nutrition needs are met. The program is funded by private funds, as well as by federal, state, and local money.
Read about eligibility requirements for Meals on Wheels.
In many cases, the volunteer who delivers for Meals on Wheels may be the only person a lonely and isolated senior sees all day (or all week), so the social aspect is very important.
Mom’s Meals are ready to eat and tailored to senior nutrition needs (they even have a menu of pureed foods for those who have trouble swallowing). They say, “We serve clients who are covered under Medicare Advantage plans, Medicaid plans, Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) programs or the Older Americans Act, and by individuals or their caregivers who are looking for a self-pay program.”
How Can I Have Alcohol Delivered?
But what if you enjoy a glass of wine or a martini with dinner? Can you get alcohol delivered? Yes, you can! There are two companies that I found that can provide that service.
- Drizly – like any other online service you put in your order online for beer, wine and/or liquor (as well as some extras) and the order will come to you. They are available in many areas throughout the USA and in Alberta, Canada but they are certainly not available everywhere. You can see a list of the cities and states that they are servicing here.
- Saucey – another online liquor deliver service that again has a limited geography within the USA. They provide a list of locations they service at the bottom of their website
Overall, if you happen to live in the cities that are serviced by either one of these companies – then you are fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of this service, if you need it.
Clothing Delivery Services
Since it seems that we won’t be going into malls and shopping stores with any frequency anytime soon – then going online is another option for getting clothing, underwear, shoes, etc. Of course these items can be purchased online via Amazon or Modcloth, and many others. But there are also some specific types of services that provide not just clothing, but personal styling as well.
And I admit, for some seniors, this will be odd because they have never done it but it’s certainly an option if some type of clothing is needed.
There are two services that I found that you may find useful:
- StitchFix – this is billed as a personal styling service that provides clothing for maternity, petite, plus sizes, etc. It has received many wonderful reviews and it can certainly be an option for anyone who wants to shop online with the aid of a personal styler!
- Gwynnie Bee – this company provides clothing for women sizes 0 to 32 and it’s a clothing rental service! This means that you can wear the clothing for as long as you like and then when you don’t want it any longer – you simply ship it back to them!
Medicine Delivery For Elderly
Yes, your local pharmacy such as Walgreens or CVS (at least here in the USA) do deliver medications so if you have your prescriptions already there, with them, then I would encourage you to sign up and use their delivery services.
But – there are also other options available to you. The ones I found are:
- Amazon’s PillPack – the unique thing about PillPack is that you get your medications delivered in individual packets according to when they need to be taken. So, you would receive packets of the medications that you need to take at 8:00 am and then other packets with the meds you need to take at 6:00 pm (as an example). I very much like this concept because it eliminates any guesswork which is great for seniors who may have some cognitive deficits.
- ZipDrug – the concept behind ZipDrug is that they connect their users to the “highest quality and lowest cost local pharmacies that deliver directly to patients at home.” It’s similar to companies such as Instacart and ShipT except it’s specifically for bringing medications to patients from pharmacies.
- YouDrugstore.com – is an online Canadian pharmacy that allows you to order online by phone by mail or even by fax. Because it’s a Canadian pharmacy your medications may cost much less than they do here in the USA.
Other Home Delivery Services
There are also some other unique home delivery services for other products and services. Here are three that I found that I thought would be useful for homebound seniors.
- TaskRabbit – this unique company has an army of independent contractors who can provide a variety of services such as running errands, help with moving, assembling furniture, cleaning and much more. For older adults and their caregivers, this type of company could be a great resource.
- MobileOilChanges.com – there is a service that I found in North Carolina that will do some auto maintenance such as oil changes, tire rotations, multi-point inspections, etc. wherever your car is located. So, you don’t have to bring it into the shop! Unfortunately it’s currently only in NC but perhaps in today’s and future economy this type of service will grow to other locations.
There is no doubt that home delivery services are going to be a larger part of our daily lives for a good length of time as the world moves through this current pandemic so I do encourage you to look at these and others that may be in your specific area.
I use home delivery services quite often and have for many years and it does make life easier and these days, it can also make life safer.
