The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Caregiving during COVID-19 has been a challenge for all of us, whether you are a caregiver or a family member. But the elderly and vulnerable of our communities have been hit especially hard. Being socially isolated and alone is having unrepairable damage on those more vulnerable.
We came up with a list of things you can do to help our elderly to feel like they haven’t been forgotten about and are still a big part of our communities:
- Volunteer in your community. There are plenty of organizations that could do with a helping hand. Here, in Castlebar Social Services, we have more than 50 volunteers helping us with Meals On Wheels deliveries and Telephone Befriending services.
- Call your elderly and vulnerable family members, neighbours or friends. A simple ‘How are you today?’ could have a major positive impact on those in isolation. A little chat to look forward to every day.
- Do grocery shopping for those at risk. The elderly in our community might find it overwhelming to go to supermarkets where there are queues and crowds of people.
- Use technology for social interactions. Video calls are a great way to connect, have a chat about their day, a program they watched or do a crossword puzzle together, you could even do light physical exercises – to boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, improve sleep quality, improve heart health, relieve anxiety, improve strength and stamina, and more.
All the restrictions make caregiving a little harder but with a little thought we all can help those vulnerable in our community to feel a part of our society again.