If you’ve had a busy year – moving to a senior living community, downsizing to a new apartment, or dealing with health issues – you may have let some of your connections to extended family and old friends lapse. Luckily, reconnecting with loved ones is easier than ever thanks to modern technological advances, and the end of the year is the perfect time to reach out. Careage Senior Living has compiled a list of easy ways to reconnect with your loved ones.
Writing an email to a friend or loved one is one of the best ways to communicate across a distance. You can say a lot more than in a text, and delivery is so easy. If you have never used email, have a friend, neighbor, or younger family member help you out. Keeping up a consistent email chain can help you rebuild connections much more quickly than traditional mail.
Regular Phone Calls
Though it’s not exactly recent technology, a simple phone call is still an easy, effective way to communicate. Let the years fall away as you and your loved one settle back into old conversations. Make sure to schedule the call beforehand through email or text message, and think of a few topics and questions to get the two of you going. Once you’ve had your initial call, plan to make it a habit at the same time every week or month.
Monthly Meet-Ups
If you live some distance away from your loved one, or the two of you have busy schedules, setting a day once a month for the two of you to get together can be a good way to make sure your relationship doesn’t fall off. You can take a trip to a museum or sporting event, have a meal at a restaurant, or simply visit each other’s homes. If you’re able to, try to alternate who visits who to make things easier for both of you.
Video Calls
If you’re tech-savvy or have a friend, neighbor, or family member to help you, video chatting can be a great way to combine a phone conversation with a face-to-face meeting. Apps like FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom are easy to get the hang of and free to use. You can use them as a replacement for or in addition to your other communication.
We hope these suggestions were able to give you a good jumping-off point for rekindling your relationships with your loved ones. For more information on how to connect with friends and family as well as advice on senior living, check out the Careage blog.