One of the best and most effective ways to combat isolation and loneliness in senior years is to use social media. Social media sites allow older adults to stay connected with friends and family, get to know like-minded people and share their experiences with others, and much, much more. Let us take a look at how a personal care assistant can help your aging loved one make the most out of social media:. To begin with, a personal care assistant can introduce your loved one to the wealth of available social media sites, including popular platforms such as Facebook and Instagram and caregiving platforms such as CaringBridge and Lotsa Helping Hands.
Once your loved one chooses a site they think is best for them, a professional caregiver can set up their account and show them how the site is used and how to stay safe and secure on the platform they choose. Your loved one will certainly like the idea of talking to and seeing their family and friends from the comfort of their home. Platforms such as Skype and FaceTime allow for free video calls, so your parent can chat with their nearest and dearest whenever they feel like it.
However, in order not to disrupt their routine and to make sure they talk to their family and friends on a regular basis, it may be best to schedule video call dates at times that work for all parties. This way, your loved one will have something to look forward to each week. A personal care assistant can explain to your loved one how Facebook groups work and help them find the best ones for their preferences. These can be groups about pets, cooking or other hobbies, as well as groups about health issues, dealing with loss, and more.
By connecting with people in these groups, your loved one can learn more about other people's experiences and share their own story or point of view. The best part about these groups is that they do not have to actively participate in the conversation if they do not wish but still discover lots of useful information.
The Internet is a wonderful place, but it can also be a dangerous one, especially for people who are not used to new technology. To make sure your loved one stays safe and doesn't fall victim to an online scam or fraud, a personal care assistant can discreetly check their online activity. Of course, this doesn't mean that they will intrude on your loved one's privacy but that they will talk to them about their social media behavior in a friendly, casual way and react only if there is a reason to worry.
