Loving and Communicating from Afar – When face to face is not an option.
March 25, 2020
Now that ‘social distancing’ and ‘quarantine’ are fully a
part of the American vocabulary. It is important that we don’t forget how to
communicate with one another. In our
desire to stay healthy physically, let’s also make an effort to stay healthy
emotionally by remaining connected with the important people in our lives. One
of the best things to do right now is love people from afar. Even if you are
not worried about the virus yourself, we all need to protect ourselves and
others from spreading the disease in any way.
In a time where it is easy to self-isolate, it is more important than
ever to remain connected in ways that are safe and healthy. Here are a few ideas to help you remain
connected when you cannot do it face to face:
- Phone calls. A quick
phone call to check in with a friend can bring great cheer, especially when
everyone is stuck at home and unable to gather as we are used to. Especially
for those who do not have family members keeping track of them, take time to
call just to check in..
- Group Texting: For many
people, texting is almost the only way to contact someone right away. Set up
texting with a group of family members and touch base at least daily. That way everyone knows you are doing OK and
can also set up help if needed. You can also easily send photos over group
messaging.
- Virtual Church. With so
many events being cancelled, many churches are fortunate to be able to
broadcast their services live on their websites or through Facebook live. Don’t miss an opportunity to participate in
Sunday services by watching on line.
- Stay Socially Connected on
your mobile phone through Facebook Messaging. You can track family activities
through Facebook and message directly to friends and family members easily
anywhere in the world right from your own Facebook page. Comment on what they
are posting daily to stay in touch and keep the communication fresh. Share your
own stories, favorite photos and positive content. Stay away from fear based media.
- Email is the golden
digital communication tool. The beauty
of email is that you can answer when you have the time. The challenge is making sure that you word
things well. Written communication doesn’t
work as well as verbal. Body language
can make a big difference when you are sharing information or ideas. But email
has taken the place of letter writing and can be a great way to stay in touch.
- Attend events through Facebook Live. Especially with children, this
is a great way to stay in touch and even participate in activities at a
distance. When they are singing or playing, or reading out loud, arrange with
your children to record it live so you can view them in action. By attending an
event virtually, you can also interact with the kids by video chat while
watching.
Digital Cards
- On line greeting cards
are a great way to cheer your friends and neighbors while you are not able to
visit. Jacquie Lawson cards an artist who
creates interactive cards with illustrations depicting nature and pets that you
can download without limits for a $20.00 yearly fee. Kids and adults love
getting these cards for celebrations throughout the year.
- WWF
has a great free Ecards site and you can show that you care about wildlife and
the planet at the same time. Just make sure you check all the boxes correctly
or they may save your information to send updates by email.
Video Chats
- Set up a Skype
account to connect with your family by video. Use the video chat feature to see
each other during the conversation. These video chats will allow you to connect
with each family member in a special way.
- Zoom is another
video meeting digital platform. It is
free if you meet for less than 30 minutes and is said to perform better than
Skype.
- Facetime
is an IPhone app through Facebook that allows you to video chat one on one or
in groups.
Even from a distance, we are all in this together and we all
need to stay connected. Take time to
stay in touch and bless the lives of those you love.
CRISTA Senior Living, as other senior
communities in Washington state, has limited visitation of our most susceptible
population. The ideas expressed here are
great ways to remain in contact with the seniors you know and love. Find out more at https://cristaseniorliving.org/