Staying Social While Social Distancing: Tips for Seniors

Loneliness is a very real problem for many seniors and stay at home advisories across the country due to the COVID-19 outbreak have made the problem worse. For seniors who live alone, being unable to visit family and friends can leave them feeling isolated, sad, and perhaps forgotten. But connecting with others safely while social distancing is possible. This article includes some tips for staying connected while stay-at-home advisories are in place.

1. Get outside.

Being in touch with nature works wonders for your mood! Take walks – being careful to maintain at least 6 feet of separation between you and others – and take in a healthy dose of sunshine and fresh air.

• Start a new hobby.

Gardening lets you get outside and in touch with nature – literally! It may be possible to have the supplies you need delivered right to your home, including soil, plants, and seeds. This article contains some suggestions for starting a garden in a small space.

If digging in the dirt isn’t your thing, try a creative venture such as painting, drawing, coloring, or writing poetry.  Listening to music is another great mood-lifter.

• Connect virtually or the “old-fashioned way.”

Catching up with friends and family over a video chat is the next best thing to in-person interaction, and Facetime and Zoom aren’t the only ways to connect virtually. Netflix parties allow you to watch movies with friends from afar. Apps like Words with Friends and Scrabble let you exercise your mind while engaging in a fun activity with someone outside your home or anywhere in the world.

If you prefer a more traditional way of connecting, perhaps set a goal of calling and/or writing at least one person per day. This is a great time to check in and reconnect with friends you haven’t seen in awhile, some of whom may be feeling lonely too.

• Exercise self-care.

Uncertain times like these may cause stress that is unhealthy for your body and mind. Participating in an online support group, practicing yoga or stretching, and keeping a gratitude journal are a few ways you can combat that stress. Emphasizing self-care increases mindfulness and positivity and stave off loneliness and depression.

• Brighten up your space.

Now can be an ideal time to freshen your home with a new splash of paint, but there are plenty of other ways to brighten your space if you’re unable to take on a paint project yourself. Add mirrors to your walls to make them feel brighter and larger. Remove clutter and donate items you no longer need or want.

You can even “redesign” the living spaces in your home by choosing a focal point in each room. A focal point is the first things your eyes rest on when you enter a room. Arrange furniture around the focal point to give the room natural flow or, again, use mirrors to center on the focal point and add dimension to the space.

Humans are wired for connection so times like these are especially difficult for those who live alone. Coronavirus has forced all of us to do a lot of things differently than we did in the past, and the ways we connect with others is one of those things. Adjusting to a “new normal” requires a different way of thinking, but with patience and the courage to try something new, we’ll come out better and stronger on the other side.

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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.