According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 can have serious health consequences, especially for older adults and individuals with conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. As a result, many older people have been completely isolated from family, friends and the community since the virus’s outbreak. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be an end point for quarantine measures, as the virus continues to spread in the United States.
Do you have a senior loved one who has been quarantined at home for the past several months? Are you worried about him or her being socially isolated, feeling lonely and experiencing diminishing mental health?
Here are a few ways you can help seniors fight loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many seniors’ family members live far away, so planning social distanced in-person visits is difficult. However, there are still easy ways to keep in touch that closely mimic in-person socializing.
One of the easiest and most accessible ways to provide your senior loved one with social interaction is through virtual visits.
Video chatting software like
Skype,
Zoom,
Facetime and
WhatsApp can make social contact just a click away for a senior experiencing quarantine alone.
Help your senior loved one set up his or her account and walk them through the steps of logging on, entering a meeting and adjusting their volume, microphone and video settings.
Once he or she knows how to use the software, you can schedule weekly or even daily catch-up sessions.
Being able to hear as well as see your loved one will help keep you informed on his or her mental health, personal hygiene, and physical state. You may also be able to tell if household chores, laundry or nutrition is being neglected during quarantine.
This insight can help you determine whether or not your loved one needs additional help around the house.
If your loved one isn’t interested in video chatting, consider scheduling regular phone calls.
Many seniors are more comfortable using the phone than learning new technology or using a computer. A phone call makes it possible to stay in touch without the stress of teaching a senior often-frustrating new communication methods.
If you live near your senior loved one, a socially-distanced visit is a great way to provide much-need social interaction without putting their health at risk.
Window visits and outdoor visits pose a lower risk of spreading COVID-19 if you’re infected. As usual, it’s extremely important to
always avoid physical contact or
spaces that don’t allow for at least six feet of distance between yourself and your senior loved one.
If you can, plan to greatly reduce or even eliminate all your outings or social gatherings for two weeks prior to your visit. This will help ensure that you do not contract the infection prior to visiting a vulnerable senior.
You can enhance an in-person visit with a senior by bringing a book, game or photo album to enjoy. Stimulating conversation, a trip down memory lane or mentally stimulating games can make your visit even more beneficial to a senior who is lonely or socially isolated.
Many older adults rely on the regular assistance of family members and friends to live safely and independently. Unfortunately, as friends and family members quarantine with the rest of the country, that regular assistance has been reduced or even eliminated altogether. As a result, many seniors struggle to complete household chores, do laundry, cook for themselves or make important trips to the doctor or pharmacy.
In-home companion care can help seniors fight feelings of loneliness while also assisting them with daily chores and personal care they may struggle to perform on their own.
Hiring an in-home caregiver, even just a few days per week, can replace lost social interaction and help seniors with housework, personal hygiene and transportation.
First Choice Senior Care in Arkansas is proud to offer a range of in-home care services for seniors experiencing social isolation.
Learn how First Choice Senior Care is
protecting our clients and caregivers from the threat of COVID-19.
Co-Owner, First Choice Senior Care
Kayla Stephens is the co-owner of First Choice Senior Care. She grew up in Northeast Arkansas, and has worked in rehabilitation, hospice care, managed nursing homes and a large home care agency. She has received several awards for sales and quality achievements in hospice and long-term care.
Kayla believes in advocating for and educating seniors and their families on a variety of topics and issues that impact them. Reflecting on the need for an independent home care provider interested in quality over quantity, she chased her dream of building her own company that would make a significant difference in the lives of seniors, providing a much-needed service in her own local community.
Kayla holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas State University, is licensed by the state of Arkansas as a Long-Term Care Administrator, and is a Certified Senior Adviser.
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