Does it seem like your elderly loved one is lonely due to social distancing? COVID-19 is spreading around the nation and many people are stuck home by themselves. While your elderly loved one may still have their senior care provider helping them out, this isn’t the same as seeing their family members and friends. It is important to know there are ways that you can help your elderly loved one from feeling lonely.
Continuing to Connect with People
If your elderly loved one is feeling lonely because of social distancing, it is important to help them continue to connect with people. Keeping in contact with family members and friends can help to reduce depression, stress, and keep your loved one happy, as well.
There are many ways that your elderly loved one can keep connecting with people they love and care about. There is FaceTime, Facebook video calls, text messaging, and snail-mail. Your elderly loved one should connect with loved ones and friends at least twice a day.
Doing Something Together
While your elderly loved one may not be able to be around their loved ones and friends at this time, they can still do something together with you or someone else. For instance, you can have them walk around their yard, while you walk around your yard, and you can both talk on the phone at the same time. There is something special about doing something at the same time as someone you love or care about.
Talking to Neighbors
Even though your elderly loved one can’t be around other people right now, they can still connect with their neighbors. Your elderly loved one’s neighbor can stand in their yard and talk across the yard. Your loved one would stay in their own yard, keeping safe, while connecting with their neighbor.
Senior Care Providers
If your elderly loved one needs some face-to-face communication, you can hire a senior care provider to come to their home more often. This could help them to feel connected and less lonely. In addition, if there were anything wrong with your elderly loved one, the senior care provider would be able to recognize it and help them out.
These are some of the ways that your elderly loved one can feel less lonely while social distancing. There is no guarantee when the social distancing order is going to be finished. So, in the meantime, make sure your elderly loved one stays connected with their family members, friends, and neighbors.
Sources: https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/coronavirus-social-isolation-loneliness.html
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/infographics/stay-connected-combat-loneliness-and-social-isolation