How to stay connected with elderly during COVID-19

As we all know by now, it is hard to stay connected to loved ones during COVID-19. We all have adapted to having zoom happy hours, chats, and meetings. But what about our grandparents and the elderly? My grandparents are 90 so getting them on a zoom call is almost impossible. It is very sad that I have not been able to see my grandparents for more than a 15 minute visit outside with masks on in almost one year. Especially because they live alone. 

 I have been able to think of creative ways to stay in touch with my grandparents during this pandemic to make them feel less lonely. The first way that I have found a way to show love to my grandparents is making them dinner. I recently found a passion for cooking and baking during quarantine, my grandma and grandpa always rave to me about how great it is that I learned how to cook and how delicious all of the food I make looks. One day, I decided to call each of my grandparents up and ask them what meal they wanted me to make for them. Making food for people is one of my love languages hahah. My grandparents were able to take a break from cooking and just heat up the food I made them in the microwave for a few nights and enjoy something that came from their granddaughter. It was really special and something that anyone can do for the eledery in their life. I was able to call up my grandparents after and they told me all about their dinner. It is definitely a wholesome way to stay connected to your elderly loved ones in this pandemic

Another way that I have been staying in touch with my grandparents would be calling them and writing letters to them. With absolutely nothing going on in their lives, getting a phone call or a letter in the mail can make their whole entire day, and I have heard it from my grandma that it does make her day whenever I call. I have made it a goal of mine to call my grandma once a week. I have felt that I have been able to get so much closer with my grandma because of this and it blows my mind that I am getting closer to her amidst a pandemic when I can’t even see her in person. 

Lastly, my grandma recently got a Frameo. A Frameo is a digital frame that people are able to send pictures to whenever they want and it gets sent to that frame for the person with the frame to see. I have been sending pictures to my grandma since she got the frame and it has been so easy to share fun memories with her since she is not on social media and I cannot show her in person. I would highly suggest this. It is perfect for anyone who has a newborn to share pictures of to grandparents or family members or any other monumental life changes occurring during this pandemic that are hard to share with eledery otherwise. 

I am thankful that I have found ways to stay connected to my grandparents and the elederly in my life during this pandemic and I hope that this is able to give you an idea of how you can show love to the eldery in your life right now.

• connection
• covid
• COVID-19
• elderly
• pandemic
• Zoom