Face time, Skype, Zoom, Webex, Google Hangout. A few months ago many of us had never heard of these virtual platforms let alone used one. Who knew technology was going to play such a large roll in how we communicate with our friends and families this year? They have become an important for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities to keep families connected.
Keeping families connected during the Covid-19 pandemic has been hard and often times very sad. Many people with loved ones in assisted living and nursing homes received word they were not allowed in person visits, even during an illness or prior to death. Many residents died without family around and the family was not allowed to hold a funeral to grieve with others. How much longer must nursing home phones and other devices be the only means to keep families connected?
Possible drawbacks
Overall, I think video chats have been a life saver, literally, but I have experienced a couple of drawbacks. If the resident is using the facility’s device, they may not be allowed to hold it or if they do they may not hold it so you can see them. In the above photo my Mom was holding the device for the first time and most of the time she was off screen. If a staff member holds it then you do not have a private visit which is their right.
My Mom, a fall risk, normally spends her days out by the nurses’ station so our Zoom calls are noisy and she is easily distracted by the commotion. Last week, I asked if the staff member could turn my Mom’s wheelchair around so she was looking out the windows instead. That helped but it was still noisy. At times, it is hard for me to hear her as well.
At the end of one of my video chats with Mom, she asks the staff if she said everything all right. She said she didn’t want to get in trouble. I asked her how many people were standing there listening. She counted to six.
Lapses in training
Just because a facility or your family has a device doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I bought my Mom a cell phone in 2019 and programmed it with my phone number along with her POA’s. She used the phone a couple of times but it wasn’t kept on the charger and it was basically useless. So I’m not sure if getting her a Grandpad, a Portal or an iPad would work either. If you are considering buying a device, be sure to check out the reviews.
I have also found that staff members may not be up on the latest technology for them to help. I asked the host of the Zoom meeting with my Mom to give me access to take a screen shot of my Mom to share with my siblings. Her response was she didn’t know how to do that. So the photo above I took with my cell phone while having a video chat on my laptop.
New vaccines
The new vaccines will hopefully open the door to visitors at hospitals, assisted living and nursing homes soon. That is what I am praying for. I have not seen my Mom in person since November of 2019. I do not live close to her and every time I plan to schedule a flight for a visit, restrictions change. One of my sisters does live close to Mom. She has seen her in person outside a couple of times since February 2020. Unfortunately, Mom has been asleep during those visits.
Cell phones, Zoom calls or Face time have been our only communication these past several months. If you can, I would recommend getting a cell phone or a tablet for your loved one. The apps are easy to download and they are free. With their own phone or tablet they are able to call you or you can call them whenever you want as long as the device is kept charged. You can even have multiple people on the call at once if you want to celebrate the holidays together.
If it’s any consolation, many families around the globe have experienced similar or maybe even worse situations for staying in touch with loved ones. In the past three months, this site alone has received over 325 people views after searching for answers. Don’t give up. We are all in this together.
If you would like to share your experience, please feel free to do so, either in the comment section or email me at livingliferetired16@gmail.com. May God bless you and your family.