Connecting with Family and Loved Ones Long Distance

Between sheltering in place suggestions to slow the spread of COVID-19 and living far away from loved ones, friends and family members, long distance and social distancing have become the “new normal.” The good news is that technology is thriving — and there are a multitude of ways to connect with others through video calls and more. Fellowship Square shares some user-friendly ways to touch base with family and loved ones across the miles and during social distancing.

FaceTime — For Apple product devotees, FaceTime is a video chat service that can be used with any iOS device with a forward facing camera or a Mac computer with a FaceTime camera. 

Skype — Another video chat service, Skype can be used across a wide array of devices – even Xbox consoles, which comes in handy when connecting with the grandkids!

Google Hangout — Designed to help bridge the gap of distance — users can message friends, create group video calls for free or get a voice call with one person or a group. Group chats are designed for big groups up to 150 people — so for those that can’t get to the family reunion, or to host a virtual on, Google Hangout is a great option! Users can add stickers, emojis, share photos and more to liven up the video session, and can even message friends when they aren’t online. 

For those that prefer old fashion ways to keep in touch, why not make a “pen pal” out of a long-lost friend or a grandchild. It’s always fun to get something in the mail, and, for some, there is something therapeutic about simply putting pen to paper. For a quicker delivery, email is a technology that most everyone can easily adapt to and is accessible across multiple devices and brands.

For some fun and creative ways to keep family and loved ones up-to-date, consider making a photo book to send across the miles. For family members wanting to reach to out to their senior loved ones and help their feel connected through the distance, a fun surprise to send is a custom made puzzle created from a favorite family photo.

There are countless ways to connect with family and loved ones across the miles and through times like this when social distancing is instilled to keep people safe. Fellowship Square encourages seniors to find the ways that work for them to keep in touch with their special people — as even though apart, loved ones are always together at heart.