# Darn Old People!



## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

I find I don't have much patience for old people who travel in herds.

At 70 years old, I was one of the younger people in Walmart grocery this morning. Walmart is often a hassle with stockers blocking aisles and many shoppers oblivious to other shoppers trying to get through. But this morning, in addition to the usual inconveniences, just about every aisle had a wheelchair, a walker, or someone just having trouble shopping. 

I thought they might have been from some type of retirement home, but I didn't see a bus or vans when I left. Any thoughts of living in a retirement home are gone - I just don't have the patience. I guess if I develop a disability (other than lack of patience) that might make it tolerable.

But I still don't understand why they all went shopping at the same time. Either they all came from the same retirement home or they all retired from the same place and their pension checks arrived today. I can't come up with any other reason.


----------



## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Around here, the nursing home or the county "Office of the Aging" will drop off their clients and then come back an hour or two later to pick them up; sometime spending 15-20 minutes rounding up those without watches....  During the time gone they are taking others to doctor's appointments, procedures, etc...

Least wise that's what I had to sometimes do when I worked at a nursing home and had to do driver duties.


----------



## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

they go as a group. most of them have to depend on the bus from the home to take them a few times a month. I see them at our WM. it's not that hard to get around them and I usually stop and talk .and of course I know most of them now because I volunteer some days for meals. some of them have had such interesting lives and some are very lonely . my mother always reminded us "there but for the grace of god" but no, I hope I never end up in one. ~Georgia


----------



## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Tuesday at our local DMV is when the seniors come in for their driver's license renewals. Several vans swing by in front and drop them off. Someone usually brings an old Buick by for their driving test. They come from nursing homes, their childrens, or since they can't legally (or physically...) drive anymore they use the country transport buses.
The ones who still are living on their own tend to come thruout the week.
Lesson learned-I do not do business with the DMV here on Tuesdays.


----------



## happy hermits (Jan 2, 2018)

I think it is nice they still get around and shop. It may be one of the only times they get to get out. I hope if and when I get like that someone shows me some patience.


----------



## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

newfieannie said:


> they go as a group. most of them have to depend on the bus from the home to take them a few times a month. I see them at our WM. it's not that hard to get around them and I usually stop and talk .and of course I know most of them now because I volunteer some days for meals. some of them have had such interesting lives and some are very lonely . my mother always reminded us "there but for the grace of god" but no, I hope I never end up in one. ~Georgia


Usually if there is someone who can't reach an item or is having trouble reading a label, I offer to help. The thing is there were probably at least 40 old and partially disabled people this morning. I don't know how the stockers do it at your Walmart, but here they block most of the width of the aisle while they are stocking. Those 2 things together made it troublesome. These type of situations are stressful to me and the last thing I felt like doing was smile and offering to help.

It might be a logistics problem for the nursing home, but dropping off 4-6 people at a time would probably be a better experience for everyone else involved. It would be better for Walmart, better for stockers, better for customers, and probably a better social experience for the retirees. Heck, they could even make it a date and eat lunch at the submarine shop.

I've noticed the same thing at another grocery store where they drop off mentally disabled people with 1 or 2 people to supervise them. It's a lot like herding cats.


----------



## Seth (Dec 3, 2012)

First of the month, homey.


----------



## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

happy hermits said:


> I think it is nice they still get around and shop. It may be one of the only times they get to get out. I hope if and when I get like that someone shows me some patience.


There is a big difference between a few people and a busload of people. I was only suggesting that dropping off a busload of people may be the cheapest strategy, but not the best strategy.


----------



## happy hermits (Jan 2, 2018)

These people may not have that option. But I get it must have been frustrating for you.


----------



## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

My wife wanted some coffee during a recent road trip. We pulled into a Mcdonalds in a small town (I do not eat McDonalds BTW).
It was the lunch rush so there was a bit of a wait at the counter, or so I thought. Drive up was about 8 cars deep.
I noticed one young girl filling cup after cup after cup of orange soda at the dispenser and then putting them into trays. She stepped aside for a guy waiting to get his drink, and I heard him ask her why she was filling so many drinks.
"The local elementary school was taking a field trip to a local playground and they were en route for lunch. So besides the usually packed crowds, they were preparing 131 happy meals and had about 15 minutes to do it.


----------



## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

happy hermits said:


> These people may not have that option. But I get it must have been frustrating for you.


I'm sure they probably didn't have an option, but if I was living in a nursing home, I would much rather go in a car or van with a few other people than have 30 or 40 of us herded onto a bus.

It was frustrating just because I don't like crowds and I don't like shopping. My goal is to get in and out as quickly as possible, which is why I usually go in the morning. I wasn't rude to anyone, in fact in my 1 encounter I was quite friendly and polite. 

Part of it is that it bothers me that they are almost treated like cattle.


----------



## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

I got paid yesterday. May go to town tomorrow. Have to see what I"m out of first. Wal Mart is not my place. Too spread out. I go in walking young, come out with a pronounced limp if I have to go far.

ETA: Just checked the obits, I'm not listed yet.


----------



## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

Might not have been a group from just one place. Here the old age pensions, worker's pensions, disability pensions and often a regular bi-weekly pay period fall at the end of the month. Thus everyone has money at the same time so have the funds and the need to shop. We shop in the off pay weeks and not at the end of the month or the beginning of the new month as the stores are less busy.


----------

