3 Easy Ways Seniors Can Stay Connected to Family During Quarantine
(Guest post by Kelsey Simpson. Kelsey enjoys writing about things that can help others. She lives in South Jersey and is the proud companion to two German Shepherds and spends her free time volunteering in dog shelters.)
As the world is slowly reopening, many people are still making it a point to stay at home as much as possible and are continuing to self-quarantine. As people are spending the majority of 2020 indoors, they are missing out on seeing friends and family. This unfortunate reality is true for so many people, especially the older generation as they have to take more precautions to preserve their health. Let’s look at three ways to stay connected during these stressful times.
One home care expert I spoke with pointed out that because of the precautions that seniors have to take to stay healthy, they are missing out on quality time with loved ones. But what if they didn’t have to? With modern technology, there are countless ways for seniors to stay connected while in quarantine, this post will detail the top three.
Take Advantage of Video Chatting
Video chatting is an outstanding technological innovation that allows people to stay connected to one another. While in quarantine, make it a point to schedule weekly or even daily video chats with friends and family. Whether you talk for an hour a day, or 5 minutes a week, video chatting is a great way to stay up to date with what is going on in your loved one’s lives. Some video chatting software to consider includes:
- Skype
- Facebook Messenger
- Zoom
- Google Hangouts
- Facetime
Utilize Social Media and Online Games
Social media and online gaming is another innovation that should be taken advantage of. Social media is a great way for you to stay connected with loved ones without having to plan a time to talk. Instead of setting a certain amount of time aside a day or a week, you can simply check your loved one’s social media accounts when it is convenient for you. You can send direct messages on social media while also reading your loved one’s statuses and looking at the pictures they post.
Like social media, online gaming is another outstanding way that you can stay connected. You can play your loved ones in online games while also messaging back and forth. You can play online games on social media, on gaming systems, on apps, or even on websites there are thousands of games to choose from as well. This is especially a great way to stay connected if you have young family members in your life such as grandchildren.
Start a Virtual Book Club
Starting a virtual book club is a great way to stay connected to family members and friends while also doing something productive to keep busy. Choose a book with your loved ones and make it a point to talk about the book either daily or weekly. You can talk on the phone, via messaging, or video chat.
Likewise, a virtual book club will give you something to look forward to and will also give you something to talk about with your loved ones.
Make an Effort to Stay Connected
Staying connected to friends and family doesn’t have to be hard. With everyday life stressors, it’s easy to not take the time to stay connected, however, staying connected is more important now than ever. Make sure to check in on family members during these trying times. Using these tips to stay in contact will be beneficial now, and after quarantine too.