You can help do your part to keep your elderly family and friends healthy during the pandemic by checking up on them.
UW-Health geriatrics clinic director Dr. Alexis Eastman says this is partially just a reminder to call your mom or grandma, but also to make sure they’re doing okay.
“It’s keeping in contact with the people we love. Zoom or Facetime or whatever video platform is even better so they can see and talk to you and everyone can smile because you’re socially distanced and you can take your mask off.”
Eastman says it’s important to keep your loved one’s emotional and mental well-being in mind.
“Start a phone tree. Call the older people in facilities or elsewhere that are isolated and alone and be that voice of just friendly outreach so they know that someone’s thinking about them.”
You can also help them out by getting them hobby supplies, putting together digital book clubs or groups, and scheduling times to get together on video chat so that you can simply smile and see each other.