Social distancing policies have currently been implemented to help slow the corona pandemic. And though they’ve affected people of all ages, the young and middle-aged usually have more resources to cope with the changes. We can take walks outside, binge a TV show, or get take-out from our favorite restaurants. Now, imagine if you were alone in your room most of the day, without any of those benefits. How would that feel? This is how many seniors are living at right now, and it’s time for us to help.
Social isolation can have a negative impact on health, but for senior communities, it’s now a necessity for the safety of their residents. This is why it’s important for everyone to do their part to keep seniors happy and engaged without in-person interactions. Whether you have a loved one that’s a senior, or want to support your local senior centers, give these ideas a try!
- Contact the seniors you know. Write letters, ask the staff at your loved one’s care center to set up a facetime, or even just give them a call. If they have a Portal, Amazon Echo, or other similar technology, make sure they know how to use it to contact you. Studies have shown that hearing a trusted and familiar voice helps reduce stress levels and can cause the release of the hormone oxytocin, which helps produce feelings of love and comfort. Taking a few minutes out of your day to make those connections can infinitely improve the health of our seniors.
- Help seniors with their daily tasks and errands. Offer to pick up groceries for them before you head to the store, or help them navigate the online shopping world. You can also prepare meals for them, whether it’s bringing leftovers from your last meal, or taking requests!
- Provide safe activities and entertainment. This could be puzzles, crafts, or just a deck of cards. It’s important to keep seniors engaged, and the more social it can be, the better! At televëda, our live streamed programming provides virtual classes designed to support seniors’ physical, cognitive, and social well beings. They visit aquariums, learn meditation methods, enjoy dance classes, and take tours of countries across the planet—all from the safety of their homes. The need for these interactive programs is even higher at this time, so if you know any homebound seniors, please let us know and we can get them started with our classes for free.
We’re all facing changes to our lives, but why not approach it with positivity and see what you can do for others? Use some of that extra time you may have right now to make personal connections with senior citizens that can exponentially improve their happiness and wellbeing.