We all need to take special care this holiday season, especially around loved ones in the high-risk category. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to include them without putting them in danger.
“We need to make the effort to say ‘we still want to be a part of your life,’ we just have to be creative about it,” says Amanda Beard, a nurse practitioner with Wheat Ridge-based Geriatric & Family Medicine Associates. Here are her ideas.
Pick up the phone.
You don’t need to wait for a special occasion to check in on your loved one. Ring them up once or twice a week for a 5- or 10-minute chat just to let them know you’re thinking of them.
Set up a family re-Zoom-ion.
If Grandma or Grandpa has access to video technology, see if they would be up for a video call with the whole family. Schedule Zoom calls or Facebook Live during holiday traditions like opening gifts, giving a toast, reading a special holiday story, or lighting candles to make older or at-risk relatives feel more a part of the celebration.
Go postal.
Brighten up your loved one’s day with a card sent via snail mail. You can even get creative—and put your little helpers to work!—with construction paper ornaments or paper snowflakes.
Take precautions with in-person visits.
Try singing carols or chatting through a window. If you do visit with them indoors, follow CDC guidelines, as well as state and local recommendations, and make the interaction as short as possible. Limit the number of people who visit and always wear a mask.
