Back in March of 2020, when it became apparent that we were going to face shutdowns due to the pandemic, we were unsure how our residents were doing to stay in touch with their loved ones.
Like many long-term care facilities, we began with window visits for families who lived nearby. As many of our residents are from areas across all of South Carolina and even other parts of the United States, we quickly realized many of their loved ones could not travel due to the pandemic.
Concerned for our resident’s feelings of loneliness and social isolation, we began to apply for grants for iPads so that they could safely keep in touch with their families and other loved ones. We were excited to receive a grant for two iPads. After receiving the tablets, we contacted families and gave them options to sign up for Zoom, FaceTime, and Google Duo.
Weekly video calls between our long-term care residents and their families and loved ones are quickly becoming a favorite weekly routine among residents. Even as vaccines become available, and when visitation returns to normal at our facility, we look forward to offering video chats between residents and their loved ones.
- How to use FaceTime – https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204380
- How to use Skype – https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA11098/how-do-i-get-started-with-skype
- How to use GoogleDuo - https://support.google.com/duo/answer/6386089?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en
If you would like to schedule a video chat with one of our residents, please contact us, or give us a call at (803) 266-3229.