4 Tips to Stay Connected During the COVID-19 Crisis

As the crisis around the coronavirus outbreak continues to escalate, safety is our highest priority. We want to make sure that all of our residents, loved ones, team members and community stakeholders know that we are doing everything we can to ensure Brandermill Woods remains secure.

In the past week, we have implemented rigorous social distancing measures as recommended by the CDC and other health authorities. We have also stepped up our cleaning and handwashing regimens above and beyond our already rigorous standards, and we are making sure team members who have any symptoms of illness remain home.

With these measures in place, we are also shifting our attention to social isolation, which affects seniors even under ordinary circumstances. One primary benefit to a senior living community is the social engagement, which we are committed to providing even during the crisis.

PBS News Hour recently published this article offering four tips for seniors to stay connected during the coronavirus outbreak. We recommend everyone read it and think about how you or someone you love may need support in the coming months. The highlights of the article are:

• Learn a new technology. Video conferencing software such as FaceTime or Skype, or social media such as Facebook and Twitter, are great ways to connect to family if you cannot see them in person.
• Stay active in the community. Your church, area nonprofits, or other organizations may need help from a distance with phone calls or other tasks. Now is the time to volunteer for such work.
• Go on a news diet. The crisis seems to be changing hour by hour, but everything you need to know can be gleaned from one or two news check-ins a day. Consider logging off the rest of the day.
• Reach out to family and friends. We’re all in this together, and others may need your help. Call, text or email your friends and family.

These are unprecedented times, but we are heartened by the stories from our residents. Many of them were born during the Great Depression and remember World War II, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the threat of nuclear war in the Cold War, and the turbulence following 9/11. Our residents have seen it all, and their spirit of determination inspires us all.

We will get through this crisis, together.