The COVID-19 pandemic has forced senior living communities to place strict visitor restrictions because seniors are more vulnerable to the virus. While this protects the residents in senior living, loss of touch with family can lead to loneliness, isolation, and depression. For this reason, senior living communities have had to devise ways to ensure ongoing communication with family to protect the seniors’ well-being. Reach out to Clover Hill Senior Living at 201-485-4000 to learn how you can stay connected to your loved one.
How Can You Stay Connected to Your Loved One in Senior Living?
In-person visit restrictions don’t mean that communication has to stop altogether. There are many ways to stay connected to your loved one in senior living. These ways include:
Communicating Through Technology
It is a consolation that the pandemic is happening in an era with an abundance of communication methods, the most basic one via phone call. Calling is a great way to check up on your elderly family member in a senior living community. You can request their caregiver to add your number to their speed dial so that they can contact you quickly whenever they need to.
Video calling has also become a popular means of communication, especially during the pandemic. It is an excellent way for seniors and their families to connect and see each other. You can make even more use of this technology by taking them on a virtual trip when you and your family members visit a new place that they’d love to see. Popular video conferencing applications include Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.
Emails are also a great way to maintain communication because you don’t need to plan for them, and both parties can reply when it’s most convenient for them. Furthermore, you can share photos and videos.
Sending Care Packages
Having a unique care package delivered to your loved one’s senior living home can be exciting and heart-warming for them. It is a demonstration of how much you love and care for them. For instance, some ideas of things to include in the package are:
- Handwritten letters
- Handcrafted gifts
- Pictures of family members and pets
- Their favorite meal from their favorite restaurant
- Puzzles and books
Playing Virtual Games Together
Websites and mobile applications will let you and your elderly loved one play their favorite board and card games together online. This method is a great way to maintain communication and also entertain them. You can work together with caregivers to ensure that everything is well set up and help them navigate the websites or applications.
Social Connections in Senior Living
Past research has shown that social connection increases happiness and life expectancy for all age groups. Constant communication with your family in senior living can also help in the following ways:
- An established communication routine will give them something exciting to anticipate.
- It gives them peace of mind knowing how everybody in the family is doing, especially with all that’s going on around the world.
- Frequent communication will protect them from feeling lonely and isolated.
- It allows you to reassure them that you will be together as soon as it is safe to do so.
- Sending pictures and videos of family members can be a way to entertain them.
Contact Clover Hill Senior Living Today
At Clover Hill Senior Living, we understand the importance of social communication to residents in senior living. Our team of dedicated caregivers and associates endeavor to maintain ongoing communication between our residents and their loved ones to ensure that they stay happy and hopeful. Some of the benefits we offer to our residents include:
- Private culinary services
- Integrative assisted care
- Medication management
- Individualized care plans
Call Clover Hill Senior Living at 201-485-4000 to discuss the best ways to stay connected to your loved one in senior living.
