One of the benefits of living in a manufactured housing community is the sense of connection that it provides. With the coronavirus pandemic leaving so many people separated from friends and family, this sense of belonging to a community becomes all the more important.
As members of a community, we can help ensure our neighbors are safe and know they are cared for – especially our senior neighbors. Seniors are at higher risk for contracting coronavirus and having complications from the disease and therefore must be particularly careful when it comes to engaging with the outside world.
While it’s important to follow CDC guidelines with regards to proximity to others who live outside your household, there are plenty of ways to show your neighbors that you care while maintaining a safe distance. Here are just a few:
1. Check in with your neighbor regularly by phone or text.
Seniors and others who live alone can have an especially hard time with the isolation the Covid-19 pandemic has caused. Send them a quick text or make a quick call to check in on them and let them know someone cares.
2. Give your neighbor permission to share your contact information with their distant family members.
Offer to let your neighbor share your telephone number with their distant family members, so that you can be a point of contact should an emergency arise. With so many families unable to travel and see their loved ones, it can be reassuring to know there is someone close by who is looking out for the safety and wellbeing of the ones we love.
3. Offer to pick up grocery staples.
Many seniors fear going out in public, as it increases their risk of exposure. When you know you’ll be venturing out, offer to pick up a few grocery items for them. You can leave it on their doorstep for “contactless delivery.”
4. Ask them what they need.
Your neighbor may be unaccustomed to asking for help. Don’t wait for them to ask; instead, ask them what they need. Whether it’s an errand at the post office or returning books to the library, something small may not take much time out of your day but mean a lot to your neighbor in need.
5. Help them navigate the internet.
Virtual doctor visits, online shopping, and ordering prescription refills online are a convenience many of us take for granted. For seniors who are unaccustomed to purchasing items online, the thought of providing personal information over the internet can be scary. Offer to walk them through such tasks via FaceTime, Zoom, or over the phone.
Many in our country are suffering silently as the pandemic keeps us homebound and isolated. Make sure your neighbor knows that he or she has not been forgotten with these simple ways to show you care.
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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.
