How to Stay Connected With Your Older Loved Ones
By CarePatrol
Older adults are at high risk for COVID-19 and serious complications. Unfortunately, senior communities have faced extreme challenges trying to keep older residents safe during the pandemic. Despite stringent policies and an emphasis on hygiene, 2 of 5 COVID-19 deaths in the US have been in long-term senior care facilities.
To help protect seniors and reduce the incidents of COVID-19 in senior care facilities, the CDC recommended strict limitations for visitations among other important guidelines. For many months now, people have not been able to visit their loved ones in senior living communities. Even when visits do resume, they will not return to pre-pandemic visits for a very long time, if ever.
For both seniors and their families, staying connected is incredibly important. Isolation and loneliness are very common for seniors, and they pose serious health threats. In this post, we will offer some ideas for ways to stay connected with your older loved ones while keeping them safe.
Use Technology
There is an abundance of technological solutions for staying in touch. It is now easier than ever to stay connected with loved ones from across the world. If you are not able to visit the senior in your life, use technology to keep in touch and share updates. Luckily, there are many different options available for this.
Of course, you can call your loved one on the phone. Many seniors are familiar with basic phones and will love to hear your voice and catch up.
If your senior has the technology and ability to, it is a great time to video chat as well. Video calls give a more personal experience, allowing you both to see each other’s faces. You can show the grandkids, pets, your home, and even virtually bring your loved on to the park or around the house. Additionally, you can have group video calls with other members of the family. You no longer need an iPhone or complicated software for video chat. Some of the platforms you can use for video calls include:
- Apple FaceTime
- Zoom
- Facebook Messenger
- Google Hangouts
- Skype
Send a Small Gift
Another way to stay connected is with small gifts. Communicate with the community team to find out what is allowed and how you can send your senior something. Some ideas include:
- Letters
- Photos or drawings
- Food delivery (dinner, dessert, fruit arrangement, and more!
Visit Within Guidelines
While visits are certainly not what they used to be, some senior living communities are beginning to allow a new form of visits. Many times, visits must be scheduled in advance and may be limited to certain hours, so make sure that you call ahead and find out the community’s policies. Depending on the community, you may be able to schedule an outside visit or one through the window.
At CarePatrol, we understand how important it is that your senior has a safe care option. Whether you are looking for independent living, memory care, assisted living, or in-home care, our knowledgeable team will help you find the best option for your senior- at no cost to you. Learn more about how we can help you and find a CarePatrol advisor near you.