Lauren Pires, who lives with Central Core disease — a muscle disorder that means she has 33 per cent of the average person’s strength — spends more on groceries than most people. “Because I tire more easily, I have to buy things that are already sliced or prepared, or cheese that is already grated,” the Mississauga resident said. “I also have to buy items that are smaller, because it’s harder for me to lift, for example, a large bottle of laundry detergent as opposed to a smaller one.
And, value-wise, the bigger items are more cost-effective.” Pires often spends more on groceries than she’s able to use, as fatigue sometimes leaves her unable to cook, wasting some of her groceries. She then relies on takeout, which costs even more.
Grocery delivery fees also add to her expenses whenever she’s too tired to go to the store. Pires is one of many Mississauga residents, living with disabilities, who face higher costs of thriving. According to a Wellesley Institute released this month, the cost of thriving in Mississauga for people living with disabilities is up to 39 per cent higher than for those without disabilities.
While a single adult without a disability needs $83,680 per year to thrive, it costs the same adult with a disability between $105,197 and $116,108. Lauren Pires — Mississauga resident who lives with Central Core disease — said she spends more on groceries than most people. The report looked at costs across nine components of health, including.