Holidays. They can be exciting and fun. Or tough and filled with isolation for many lonely seniors. Especially if it’s a senior living by themselves or in some type of care home setting. COVID-19 restrictions this past year made it even more difficult for family and friends to stay connected.
So, here are some great ideas to help lift your lonely senior’s spirit by sharing the love, virtually.
Plan a virtual dinner date with lonely seniors.
This is such an easy way to share a meal and conversation with your aging loved one.
Simply order your lonely senior’s favorite meal and have it delivered to their home.
Then, set up your technology. FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype make it so easy. A caregiver can also help your loved one by setting up the technology of choice for them.
Then, Bon Appetit! It’s a great way to enjoy good food and engage with your senior when you can’t be there in person.
Next, create a video book club for your lonely senior.
It works just like a regular book club does. Pick a favorite book to talk about and then make sure to set up a time each week or month depending on your schedule. You can also replace books with a favorite tv show you both like to watch. Then turn on your technology of choice and go. This regularly planned activity gives that aging loved one something to look forward to, vital for maintaining a positive mindset.
Playing board games can be another solution to virtually engage with your lonely senior. There are two routes to go here. First, you can set up a simple board game, like Checkers at your location and at your senior’s home. Then, get your video stream rolling and play your game. If your senior is tech-savvy, there are also several apps and online games, such as Scrabble, that you can play together virtually.
Finally, one of the simplest ways to connect with your senior is to let them share their life story—one chapter at a time.
As people age, it becomes more important to talk about meaningful moments, benchmark events, and life lessons that one has experienced in their life so they can pass down knowledge and wisdom to the next generation. This can be done in person, as a virtual chat, or both.
We all could use a little happy companionship and connection these days. We are human, after all. So, this holiday season make the effort to share your technology, time, and thoughtfulness with your special senior and lift their spirits with the gift of virtual love.
Happy Holidays Everyone!
