Families are sometimes thousands of miles apart in today's mobile world. It's difficult to make regular trips. Other times, health issues separate loved ones. However, maintaining relationships is crucial for effective aging. Compared to their more active contemporaries, older people who are isolated have a greater incidence of health problems.

Heart disease, depression, obesity, and diabetes are a few medical conditions associated with senior solitude. The data on early mortality is much more concerning—elders who are socially isolated are 26% more likely to die young.

It's crucial to find strategies to communicate with your aging family members. Thankfully, technology has made this simpler than ever.

Technology to connect with senior family members

While nothing can fully replace in-person interactions, several technological alternatives come close:

Smartphone

Dispel the idea that older people can't learn new technologies. Four out of ten seniors, according to the Pew Research Centre, own a smartphone. That's double what it was in 2013. Apps like FaceTime not only make it simpler to keep up but also permit more intimate interactions.

Video call

While phone calls are lovely, families may have face-to-face conversations using video chat services on a tablet or laptop. They also allow an adult kid to check for changes in a parent's look. The elderly person may have difficulties if they have flushed cheeks, lost weight, or have untidy hair. There are two free, simple chat services: Skype and Zoom.

Email

Although less intimate, email nevertheless keeps individuals in touch. Families may exchange information about crucial appointments, recipes, photographs, movies, and the schedules of their kids' and grandchildren's activities.

via social media However, platforms like Facebook don't have to be as controversial as they have been in recent years. Create a secret group if you don't like the politics and rumors on your News Feed. You can choose only to allow certain people to join. As a result, updates, pictures, and videos can be shared without any of Facebook's infamous controversies.

Think of a senior living facility

Many families had to spend a lot of time apart due to the coronavirus quarantine implemented this spring. Observing their parents' loneliness was one of the hardest things for many adult children.

A senior living facility is one way to provide an elderly relative or friend with a sense of community. These carefully planned communities include a variety of daily social and fitness activities. Daily informal chances for residents to see neighbors are also available.

To find out more, contact the Heritage Care Home Senior Living facility closest to you!