Social Media:  Affording seniors a better alternative to connect with families and friends from afar. 

Social media is a great way for seniors to stay in touch with families and friends far and near. It also helps them stay connected and updated with their contacts and helps improve their social well-being. A good social connection is beneficial to their overall health.

While Facebook and Facebook Messenger appear to be the social media venue of choice for most seniors, there are others like Instagram, Youtube and Twitter that are out there and are yet to be utilized by the majority of seniors.   They realize that Facebook seems to be where most of their families and friends are going and has made it easier for them to link up and keep-in-touch with loved ones using this platform.

Social Media simply allows for a more comfortable conversational experience and allows seniors to stay closer with families and friends rather than just calling over telephone.

Additionally, with photographs and videos now in digital format via smartphones, sharing them with relatives and friends is so much easier.   Seniors can easily go online at any time and be able to view pictures and videos of their loved ones taken just moments earlier, otherwise creating a sense of closeness that mailed photos or VCR’s do not provide.

Not only can social media be fun and enjoyable for seniors and their loved ones, but it can also give them a sense of security, knowing that their loved ones are just a click away.

Nowadays, for most families, having to live far apart is a reality and these are often a result of job transfers, schooling, military commitments, etc.  Whatever the reason for relocating far away from home may and can at times lead to anxiety for both the seniors and their families particularly when elderly parents are living on their own.   There is always that certain level of concern as to how they are doing and we worry as to what will happen to them while we are gone.

As we are all aware, some seniors are prone to falling at home, or not taking their prescription medications on time or not taking their meds at all.  Not eating the right diet or not eating at all compounded by the possibility that they are being neglected or even exploited.  All these potentially serious incidents can be overwhelming to a family member who is far away and knowing that these situations are inevitable to an older adult(s).  Thanks to the availability of social media, some of these unfortunate incidents can be avoided where in it affords families a convenient way to connect with each other and see how they are doing on a daily basis.

By utilizing social media coupled with having a responsible care professional from a credible Home Care Agency to care for our seniors, we can rest assure our peace of mind, knowing that we are just a click away and that we have a reliable professional care provider caring for our loved one. And that is what we all want.  Encouraging our seniors to utilize social media is beneficial to all.