During this truly unusual Thanksgiving season, we want to extend even more gratitude for amazing family caregivers. November is National Family Caregivers Month and we are overflowing with admiration for the dedicated people navigating the Covid-19 pandemic to provide care to their family members. Caregiving can be stressful at the best of times, but with the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching, we want to help you find new ways to create connections and happy holiday memories.
With recent CDC recommendations advising against hosting gatherings, this is a perfect time to ensure that families can gather with the help of technology. Video calls are an excellent way to offer a real time check-in with your loved ones that helps keep everyone safe. If your family members have been hesitant to pick up these new skills, this is a great opportunity to re-visit the idea with them. By enabling them to see AND hear the family on the holiday, they’ll get the chance to feel like they’re part of the celebration just like everyone else: virtually! There are great devices and apps that make it incredibly easy for seniors to connect quickly and easily. Devices like GrandPad, ViewClix, and Amazon Echo Show offer fast, easy set-up and the Oscar Senior app can be installed on their smartphone.
The key to making this kind of new experience less stressful is to find ways to keep the setup and access simple and provide clear instructions. This is a great way to help support your loved ones and the family members who are caring for them. The more encouragement they receive, the more excited they will be to join in on video calls. Enabling loved ones who receive at-home care to receive video calls is a great way for caregivers to be able to touch base well past the holidays, and ensure that multiple family members can easily stay in contact from near and far.
If your loved ones are already Facetime, Duo, or Zoom professionals, it’s time to add another layer of fun! Why not schedule a group video call where everyone sits down to enjoy their Thanksgiving meal together? Or even find a recipe and cook together? Meal kits are a simple way to achieve something like this and that allows everyone to be making the same dish all at the same time. Incorporate virtual family game nights, where everyone can participate in games like bingo, charades, and Pictionary. We at CarePlus recognize the dedication of all the family caregivers who are going above and beyond in these challenging months, and we want you to know that we are always here to offer solutions and support.
Visit CarePlus Resources Here. Please do not hesitate to contact us for support, resources and services at 301-740-8870.
At this time of year, all of us at CarePlus want to wish you and your family a very Happy Healthy Thanksgiving filled with joy, good health and fun!
