“Shopping is the examining of goods or services from retailers with the intent to purchase at that time. Shopping is an activity of selection and/or purchase. In some contexts it is considered a leisure activity as well as an economic one.” (shopping-wikipedia, 2011)
Its Tuesday afternoon, I dare to check my watch and see that the time has come and I cannot ignore the cries of my stomach any longer. It’s been a week since I last ventured to that dreaded place and both my body and my wallet have only just recovered but I know what I need to do. Armed with my eftpos card, shopping list, coupon, fly buys and patients I am ready to face whatever the supermarket throws at me. Its 5pm and I know well and truly that it is going to be a feeding frenzy down there but this is what a have to do. I put on my sneakers to give me that extra grip and support I need for pacing up and down the aisles at a high speed; I’m going to need all the help I can get if I want to stand a chance out there. The giant glass doors kindly open up for me as they do for the other thousands of customers that have already been devoured by the supermarket. The special signs tower over me, the harsh artificial rays of the lights lining the entire interior of the shop make my eyes burn and the sound of trolleys being smashed together makes me jump. I keep my eyes fixed on my shopping list and don’t dare to lift my gaze to be tormented by the special signs and other products that I don’t necessarily need but would really enjoy. I keep my trolley close as I pace up and down each and every aisle, carefully selecting the items I need and figuring out the best possible deal from the wide range of different brands and products available. My brain is working overtime calculating what I have spent and how much I have left to work with, this is crucial if I mess up my calculations I could have a real issue on my hands. I gladly tick off the last item on my shopping list and eye up a potential check out to pay for my items. This part of the mission is key to a fast get away. First, I look for the shortest possible lines and consider who is in each to determine my final choice or whether I should just go for the self-check in. the elderly, mothers with kids and foreigners are the ones to watch out for, they are bound to take a significantly longer time to process their goods. I find “the one” and within a few short moments I am unloading my goods into very specific piles; my fresh fruit and veg, meats, dry food and cans, breads and soft foods, dairy products, cosmetics and cleaning products. After some standard small talk with the check-out chick she has put all my items through and I have my coupon and fly buys on hand ready to get whatever I can from them, I smile when I see I have saved $4.29 this week. I pay for my items and get out of their as quickly as possible!
Relevance to Occupational Therapy
Shopping is a necessary activity that we do in order to buy food, clothes, furniture, house hold items, presents etc and so it is important for individuals to be able to participate in this occupation. It requires a range of skills and at times can be difficult and frustrating or it can be very pleasing and enjoyable. Shopping requires problem solving skills, decision making skills, independence, creativeness, the use of memory, it also has physical aspects to it. Within occupational therapy it can be used as a intervention tool or as an end point of intervention. It is an activity that is relevant and essential to most and can be carried out in range of ways such as online, at the markets, in a supermarket and in the mall.
An occupation simply put is what we do to occupy ourselves. As shopping is an activity that can encompass a wide range of ideas and feelings i have broken in down in to three categories which fit quite nicely with occupational therapy. I will be looking at shopping in regards to self-care, productivity and leisure.
An occupation simply put is what we do to occupy ourselves. As shopping is an activity that can encompass a wide range of ideas and feelings i have broken in down in to three categories which fit quite nicely with occupational therapy. I will be looking at shopping in regards to self-care, productivity and leisure.
Practical considerations
The task of shopping is something I am required to do on a weekly basis for groceries. I also go to the farmers market on Saturday mornings and go to look around at the clothes shops in town about once a week or every second week so engaging in this task for two hours a week will not be an issue. Shopping is something I both love and hate, but continue to do out of necessity.
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