Is Your Senior Feeling Lonely At Home? Here Are Some Tips to Brighten Their Day!
COVID-19 has affected everyone in one form or another. For seniors with limited mobility, limited ability to drive, or general health concerns, the loneliness that COVID-19 self-isolation brings, can be seriously depressing. Oxnard Family Circle provides a cornucopia of services for seniors in Ventura County. Talk to us, we can help!
Here are some tips and options that will help your elderly loved-one or senior neighbor have a brighter day, week, and month, even in the midst of isolation.
- Offer to be a text, phone, or errand buddy. Look around your neighborhood for those who are vulnerable, then leave a note on the door. “I can pick up groceries.” “We can text or talk on the phone.” Be respectful, maintain social distancing.
- Talk to Oxnard Family Circle about DOORSTEP visits! Each week we have been delivering, along with our meals and hygiene products, our OFC Newsletter. Our weekly newsletters will include activities such as puzzles, coloring pages, and other activity ideas to help keep your loved one occupied. It is very important to maintain an environment of mental stimulation to help alleviate boredom, stress, and depression.
- Offer to disinfect the kitchen and hard surfaces in other often-used areas. For hard surfaces, where possible, use one part bleach with nine parts water, per CDC guidelines.
- Take the dogs for a walk …for those seniors who can’t do that right now.
- Random acts of kindess. In a world that seems COVID scary, you can bring together a few people in your neighborhood to provide some random acts of kindness for senior neighbors. Always get permission, and always practice social distancing.
- Use technology to be “together.” Isolation is going to create loneliness for some elderly people. Set up smartphones so the older person can Facetime, Skype or do other video calling. You can have contact that’s virtual, not risky.
- Help someone in isolation find interesting things online. Here’s a site online that provided virtual tours of 10 museums.
- Did you know that most public libraries have e-books and e-check out services available? The Oxnard Library says, “Check out our digital library, Where the Library NEVER Closes! eBooks and More to Borrow. Try our latest app! Get access to many of our electronic items in one place. To download, go to your Apple or Android App store, and type in Simply-E
- Help a senior pick up a new hobby or get reacquainted with an old hobby. Being stuck inside is a good time to learn a new craft or skill or figure out something they may have been interested in but never had time to explore.
- Buy your senior an audiobook or podcast subscription. Some may need help navigating them at first. Teach them how to use a Kindle or Smartphone to listen.
- Call regularly to check-in, but also make time just to chat.
- Run errands, but consolidate to limit everyone’s exposure. Everyone, not just older people, should be staying away from others as much as possible. So pick up groceries for others who can’t, but limit trips. You can leave the goods at the front door or make sure to maintain a distance when you enter a home. And sanitize before and after delivery.
- Help set up grocery delivery or curbside pickup. That way, your senior can do his/her own shopping and be in control.
- Let them know about special times for senior shopping at local stores.
- Be a contact with out-of-town relatives in case of emergency. Ask your vulnerable friends whose children aren’t nearby to share your phone number with their family in case they need your help and another set of watchful eyes.
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