Last updated on June 15th, 2023
For the past few months, the seniors at your community have most likely been living a very different life than they’re used to. Social distancing and other safety protocols have kept residents isolated to their rooms and unable to socialize with friends and family as much as they’d like.
But that doesn’t mean they need to actually feel isolated. There are several ways your community’s team can help seniors stay connected with friends, family, and other residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Studies show that socialization has a positive impact on health. People with stronger social relationships have a 50% increased likelihood of health risk survival and longer life. Plus, other evidence links poor socialization with conditions like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and slower wound healing.
There are plenty of opportunities to use your dining program to increase socialization. Recent studies have shown that men and women who eat alone may have a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes. And loneliness can also cause the same amount of damage to someone’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Here are the top five ways you can help your seniors stay social during the COVID-19 pandemic by using your dining program or some of your community’s other resources.
1. Make Meal Delivery More Fun
One way that we’ve been encouraging seniors to socialize at the communities we work with is through fun food delivery to rooms. Some communities right now are using mobile carts to deliver breakfast, lunch, and dinner to residents. But you can take it one step further. Culinary Services Group has been serving coffee and hot chocolate via cart to seniors in our communities. The carts are stocked with flavor syrups and toppings, like whipped cream and marshmallows so residents can customize their beverages.
We’ve also been doing a similar delivery for ice cream. Staff will wheel an ice cream cart to each room, and then residents get to pick their flavors and toppings.
Cart delivery allows residents to socialize with staff one-on-one when they do room visits. It also gives staff a way to check-in on seniors multiple times a day without seeming overbearing.
2. Take Advantage of Technology
At one community in the United States, residents are using HAM radios to talk to each other during the day. And at another community, residents use Zoom to dine remotely with each other. Using technology like this lets residents chat and get “facetime” with their friends. Yes, everyone is still eating alone in their rooms, but they’re also socializing in a way that’s safe right now (which is better for their well-being than no socialization at all). Your team could also help residents set up group video chats with family and friends outside of your community.
Another creative way to use video conferencing? Offer online classes. Teach your residents how to paint, draw, or even learn a new language through the screen.
We’ve also seen communities use technology to engage seniors through iPad concerts. Reach out to local performers to see if they would be willing to put on a show for your community. Then, have your residents log into Zoom or Facebook Live and watch the concert in real-time.
3. Keep Up With Exercise
Exercise is a win-win. Your residents will be social and engaged while staying healthy. Use video conferencing to teach aerobics or Zumba to seniors in their rooms.
If your community has a gym, it’s most likely not fully open yet. But, some communities are letting residents take advantage of the workout facilities by letting them sign up for 45-minute time slots to ensure the gym isn’t overcrowded while seniors get their exercise in.
You could also encourage socially distant walks outdoors or exercise classes. If you have the outdoor space, have a yoga instructor come teach a class. Just make sure you’re following all CDC guidelines when it comes to outdoor activities to keep risk low for your staff and residents.
4. Have a Game Night
For a fun weekly activity, use video conferencing to put on a game night. Board games, card games, and trivia can be easily played online by multiple residents at one time.
We’ve also seen communities do a socially distant “hallway bingo.” Residents sit 6-10 feet apart in one of the building’s long hallways and all play bingo together. This brings them out from behind the screen and gives them safe human-to-human interaction with one another.
5. Decorate Room Trays with Cards and Flowers
Sometimes the simplest ideas are best. Flowers and hand-written notes can brighten someone’s day and show them you’re thinking about them. Our team has started including flowers and notes on food trays when we deliver meals to residents throughout the day.
Holidays can be especially hard for seniors right now. That’s why for special events, like birthdays or holidays, our team outfits food trays with themed decorations to make the resident feel special.
While this may be a tough time for seniors, it won’t last forever. But, in the meantime, your community’s team should make it a priority to engage seniors in socialization and make them feel great each day. Whether you do that through your meal delivery, an exercise program, or via technology, you’ll see positive changes to your residents’ moods and overall wellness.
If you’d like to learn more about how Culinary Services Group can help you engage residents through your dining program and increase socialization now and post-coronavirus, contact us here.
