While you may have had a good system and routine when it came to visiting your loved one in an assisted living care facility before the coronavirus got so widespread, almost all senior living facilities have since closed their doors to outside visitors for the safety of their residents. But while this means that your loved one is able to stay away from those who may unknowingly expose them to COVID-19, it also means that they aren’t able to get the visits they so looked forward to in the past.
Luckily, there are still plenty of ways that you can show your elderly friends or family members that you still care for them, even if you’re not able to see them in person. To show you how this can be done, here are three tips for staying connected to loved ones in assisted living during the coronavirus.
Make A Schedule For Communication
Because you’re not able to see your loved one face-to-face, you’ve got to find other ways that you can speak and see each other. But before you do this, you should try to speak with your loved one about how much communication they want and how much communication you can give.
According to DailyCaring.com, setting up a schedule of when you’ll get in contact with your loved one will help them to continue to feel loved and supported during this time. Especially since the elderly are some of the most vulnerable populations for negative impact from the coronavirus, getting to hear from the people they love can go a long way toward helping your loved one find positivity and security in these uncertain times.
Ask For Help With Technology
While you might know of all kinds of ways that you can get in contact with people that you’re not able to see in person, your elderly loved one might not be as aware of the technology that exists and how to use it.
To help bridge this gap, you may want to ask those who work in the assisted living facility if they can help your loved one set up devices and apps so you can get in touch with them easier. You may also want to ask if they could do a brief training on how to use certain apps or devices for things other than just talking to friends or family. For example, Ashley Austrew, a contributor to Care.com, you can also find ways to take virtual tours of places like museums and national parks.
Rediscover Care Packages
At a time where very little in coming in and out of your loved one’s care facility, getting anything new can be exciting. So as long as their facility is allowing care packages, Aaron Kassraie, a contributor to AARP, suggests that you try to get together a care package to send every so often. In this package, you can include things like letters, photos, and favorite items.
If the time away from your loved one has been challenging, consider using the tips mentioned above to stay connected even when you can’t be together.
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