Living through a global pandemic definitely changed our outlook on how we socialize with family and friends. We’ve learned that there are many ways to stay connected even if you can’t be physically together.
Social distancing only means physical distancing—it doesn’t have to mean social isolation! When living independently in your later years, it can be hard to keep in touch. Recent times have taught us not only how important human connection is, but also how to maintain it during isolating events.
Here’s what we’ve been doing to stay in touch with family and friends, both near and far:
I’m constantly calling my friends and family for a quick little chat to see how everyone is doing. My new favorite thing is to call my neighbors while standing on my balcony, as they stand on theirs. It’s like FaceTiming in real life!
Another thing I’ve started doing is scheduling phone calls into my calendar. Seeing these check-ins sprinkled throughout the whole week puts a smile on my face. I love looking at my calendar and knowing that I’ll be meeting with so many loved ones.
These have always been my favorite apps, and this past month has really driven home why. FaceTime allows us to “see” our grandchildren and children when they can’t come to visit. Our doctor recently even paid us a “house call” via WhatsApp, and it was fantastic.
Our kids tell us that the chats we have with our grandchildren – sharing stories of childhood, having virtual tea parties and dance parties, and cooking and baking together – are an excellent way to keep them busy learning new skills while they’re home from school!
This is a new favorite! I love setting up meetings and hangout sessions with all of my buddies. Ten or so of my friends use this app to have a regular post-dinner hangout session, just us guys, every night. The grid extension allows me to see every single one of my friends on one screen. It’s like we’re all hanging out in one of Priya Living’s community rooms!
We’ve wanted to share this one with the whole Priya Living community because through this app, our book club chats can continue and our game nights can reconvene. I need my Antakshari fix! My friend Sudarkhar is even planning to start a Zoom class for his laughter yoga sessions, which have become a huge hit. We’re all looking forward to signing up!
Oh yes, this one is too good. There are so many television shows and movies from around the world that we’ve been wanting to binge on, and now we’re actually keeping our neighbors safe by indulging!
Netflix has been a great way to catch new programming. Over the last year, a whole bunch of us started gathering for a weekly movie night. During this quarantine period, Kamal discovered Netflix Party, which is a fantastic little app that allows us to keep watching together. Our next party is scheduled for Friday!
My friends, we’re still in this together: the whole lot of us, the world over. Even in times of physical isolation, remember to stay in touch and stay connected.
Are you looking to connect? Contact us at Priya Living to learn more about our unique co-living communities.
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