If there’s one thing this coronavirus pandemic has taught us, it’s the importance of staying connected with those we love.
Keeping connected helps to maintain a sense of wellbeing among family members. It also helps to manage any conflict or challenges brought on by the requirements of physical distancing and social isolation.
For families with aging parents, it’s even more important to stay connected while apart. Elderly people are more prone to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Not being in contact with their loved ones can also present many health problems including anxiety and depression.
If you’ve found that coronavirus has hampered your connection with your aging parents, try these tips.
1. Check up on them
Even if you can’t physically visit your aging parents, you can still maintain regular contact. Pick up the phone and call them for a daily chat, or send a text message to let them know you’re thinking of them.
Yes, lives can get busy and the demands of work and family can get in the way. But staying connected doesn’t require a grand gesture of your time. Carving out just 10 minutes a day for a call can go a long way in helping keep a sense of normalcy and comfort in those we love.
If your older parent isn’t tech savvy or is hard of hearing, then think about other ways to maintain connection such as sending them a handwritten letter or popping a nice card in their letterbox.
When talking to your elderly loved one, really take time to listen. Encouraging them to talk about their day and what’s on their mind is an open invitation for new ways of bonding - and can help them feel even more valued and cared for.
2. Learn new technology
Bridge the generation gap between your parents and their grandchildren by harnessing new technology.
Facetime, Zoom, Skype, Facebook, and Whatsapp are all great ways to keep family members in the loop. Whether through video chat or group conversations, devising a way for all generations to keep in touch will give aging parents something to look forward to in times when they can’t physically be with their family members.
Promote intergenerational connection by encouraging the grandchildren to help teach their grandparents how to use these apps. From there, you can arrange weekly video chat dates or online games as a source of staying connected.
There are online resources available to teach elderly people how to use technology. Most of which are free and easy-to-use.
3. Organise family events
Family get-togethers are by far the most important social event that seniors wish to participate in. In fact, 65% of seniors report being more focused on spending quality time with their family members in 2021 and beyond.
When restrictions allow, families should be more intentional when it comes to planning get-togethers. Whether it’s a barbecue at home or even a picnic in the park, giving your aging parents something to look forward to helps to maintain their mental health and also strengthens family ties.
It doesn’t have to be a special occasion in order to plan a family get together, either. Pick one day a month to get the whole crew together to simply enjoy one another’s company.
4. Engage in activities
If your elderly mother loves to knit or crochet, ask her to teach you how to do it. Similarly, if your elderly father likes to tinker in the shed or shows an interest in bird watching, organize an afternoon to participate in those hobbies.
Not just a bonding experience, engaging in activities with your aging relatives can also restore a sense of purpose in both your lives.
For grandchildren or younger relatives, sharing their passions with their grandparents opens up a new way of understanding, and can foster an even greater relationship.
5. Make it routine
Make it your goal to maintain ties with aging parents during covid-19 and beyond.
Whether it’s every day or one day a week, keeping a consistent routine of catching up and staying connected will encourage the happiest family life possible, and make it easier to deal with aging parents.
Routines can help elderly family members feel safe and secure. Expecting a call or weekly get-together will do a lot to ease feelings of loneliness and get them through challenging times.
Staying connected with your aging parents and extended family is an important part of maintaining wellbeing and positivity. It’s easy to take family members for granted but it isn’t until we’re forced apart that we begin to discover how crucial these relationships are to our mental health. Establishing regular contact with family and making time for elderly relatives strengthens our hope and resilience, and gives us a solid support network that we can lean on when times get tough. Along with the tips provided above, caregivers can also encourage their elderly parents to stay connected with their friends and community by providing them resources on local interest groups, meet-ups, and events.