How do we stay socially connected while social distancing? During COVID -19?
We all need contact with other people
During COVID -19 this becomes harder as we age, especially as older people are at a greater risk to contract COVID- 19. Many of these elders live alone and are sheltering in place. But they suffer from isolation as they miss the social connections that bring joy to their lives. Some become depressed in the lonely world of shelter in place.
Connections promote wellness and are essential for good health. COVID-19 is not a time to completely isolate ourselves, rather, we need to take this time as an opportunity to foster relationships in new and creative ways, like technology and creative old fashioned pastimes. This takes a family member to help with, which is part of the socialization. If you live long distance find a local friend or neighbor who will wear a mask and social distance or if you are a long-distance care provider hire a geriatric care manager who can place a quality of life companion with your older relative like Geriatric Care Management Agency like Lifespan that offers a Well-Being Program
Use Technology
- Call or video chat family and friends, if you have a computer or phone use facetime or Skype but better to use better technology, designed for seniors like Alexa Show 8
- Have a virtual meal together invite your loved one through a link on Zoom and order a meal online for both of you at the same time.
- Purchase Birdsong for seniors an easy touch tablet for games and to connect with family and friends
- Help elder join a book club at the local library as libraries are opening up again
- Help elder sign up for on-line local community college extension classes that might interest him or her
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Subscribe to free online games for seniors through AARP
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Have your older loved one play brain games for entertainment with Luminosity- https://www.lumosity.com/en/
- Subscribe to audible
- Identify what music they like and help them arrange to watch and listen on television or TV if they have an I Phone Make an I Phone playlist of their favorite
- Find art they like and have them tour Google virtual museum collections
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Go back in time
- Write letters or give you loved-one a gift box or notecards with pictures or art they like, print out address labels for them and give them an address book with family and friends addresses
- Play board games, word games, or even work on jigsaw puzzles together when you visit.
- Watch a movie together. There are a variety of apps that can help you watch movies together, but it may be easier to find the same movie, and for everyone to watch at the same time. Get the popcorn ready!
- Enroll a homebound client in a Senior Center Without Walls where they read books to them on the phone.
- Take a walk. Fresh air is good for the body and mind. Movement is a great way to release endorphins in the body, which can soothe any existing feelings of stress but wear a mask, and stay 6 ft apart
- Sit outside the front of your house with a mask on and wave to those walking by. The act of smiling raises endorphins.
- For a loved one who likes nature, if they like crafts make a birdseed ornament purchase a birdfeeder and hang outside the window where the loved one can see. Get a bird field guide for the area and help identify birds who visit the ornaments or feeder to feed.
- Subscribe to audiobooks for seniors from your library
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REMINISCENCE- a win win-as people age they love this and you get their memories
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Give your parent Storyworth. Print the prompts and drop off to your loved one then pick up and enter using the dictation on your phone then send it into Storyworth. At the end of the year, they get a printed book of reminiscence.
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Join ancestry yourself and bring your computer to your older loved one’s home and show them your family tree as you build it. They can give you family history
and memories as you create the family tree that you would miss when they are gone. -
Get out old family albums and have them identify people in photos then upload the photos later to Google photos so you have both names of relatives, stories of pictures and photos digitally saved.
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If you do not have an operation manual, I have all these products in my
Care Manager Nina Herndon, the national expert of elder quality of life, cites in her chapter on Quality of Life, in 
plan for each person, which will include a schedule of activities, ideas, and ways to stay connected based on the individual’s life story and interests. We can create and send you this, and you or a family member can then implement it as needed. 