Staying Connected To Our Most Vulnerable During Social Distancing
Isolation is not only a mental health issue but a physical issue as well. According to a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, social isolation has been linked to increased risk of dementia, heart disease and, stroke.
It’s not just our elderly loved ones who are likely to be affected, though many older people were already missing meaningful human contact long before the coronavirus struck. The damaging effects of loneliness on health can be experienced by all age groups. Our children are used to an overload of daily social interaction and others who suddenly find themselves home after many years in the social setting of employment.
The Importance of a Gift Like BlankieGram During Social Isolation
Though a phone conference is a wonderful way to keep in touch these are long lonely days we are experiencing. Now more than ever BlankieGram is proving to be the Perfect Caring Gift when you can't be there in person to wrap your loved one in a hug. Blankie recipients feel the love every time they snuggle up in a Blankie covered in comforting inspiring words.
Here is a list of helpful ideas for staying in touch
Zoom has surged in popularity during this time. It is user friendly and crosses platforms easily. We found this video tutorial helpful and to the point though for our older family and friends it may be a bit more challenging. CLICK HERE Below is a list of other great options collected by How To Geek.
- Skype: Owned by Microsoft, Skype was one of the first video call apps to become mainstream. Since then, it’s only gotten better. Skype is available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android.
- Google Hangouts: Google Hangouts not only lets you make video calls, you can have a full-on video conference with multiple people. There are dedicated Hangout apps for iOS and Android, and it’s available to all desktop users via their web browser.
- Google Duo: Google Duo is only available for Android and iOS. It only supports one-to-one video calls, but you can make them over Wi-Fi or cellular data connections. Google Duo also offers a couple of neat features. Knock Knock lets you see the video of the person who’s calling you, even before you answer the call. You can also leave a video message (much like a voicemail) when someone can’t answer your call.
- Facebook Messenger: Did you know that you can make video calls using Facebook Messenger? You can, and you can use the feature on pretty much any operating system. There are dedicated Messenger apps for iOS and Android, but you can also use Messenger right in your desktop web browser to make video calls from Windows, macOS, or Linux.
- Viber: Viber is a feature-rich app that you can use for video calls and a variety of other purposes. It has millions of users worldwide and is available for a variety of platforms like iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux.