Help Seniors Keep a Positive Attitude During the Coronavirus Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

7 Ways to Boost Your Loved One s Morale During the Coronavirus Epidemic

With visits to senior communities halted out of sight doesn t have to be out of mind

Video-calling apps help loved ones stay engaged if they can't have visitors because of coronavirus. Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images To protect the most vulnerable residents against COVID-19, assisted living, continuing care and skilled nursing communities are raising the bar for casual visits — following as coronavirus infections spread across the country. Learn more about the steps to take in the coronavirus pandemic Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. What's more, at least one state, California, is suggesting that gatherings inside these of people susceptible to the virus be limited to no more than 10 per room, as the federal government is now encouraging for all gatherings. That can curtail social groups such as book clubs, craft classes and meals in the communal dining room. So what can you do to keep a loved one engaged and ? Here are ideas to show you are still there in spirit and still care.

1 Send snail mail

Handwritten cards and letters are more special than ever, perhaps because electronic communication is increasingly supplanting them. Recipients can display the cards and re-read correspondence to remind themselves that you care.

2 Share a virtual meal

Plan a long-distance date. Order what your loved one likes — and pay for it — via a meal delivery service such as DoorDash or Grubhub and make sure the meal gets there at the appropriate time. Then call to talk during the meal, making sure that your resident knows how to use a speakerphone feature on her cellphone or landline phone.

3 Use other delivery services

You know the snacks your loved likes. Since you can't bring a few packages of treats during a visit, arrange for a bulk delivery. or independent living who still like to cook, you can get their grocery lists and do the shopping for them or use a shopping service such as Instacart. Deliver the food as close in as you're allowed and make sure to put the name and address or room number of the recipient on the boxes or bags.

4 Create your own FaceTime book club

Family Caregiving Savings on in-home caregiving services See more Family Caregiving offers > If your kids are at an age where they love being read to, make sure Grandma or Grandpa has some kids’ books they can read aloud — if they don't, order some online — using the video-calling feature on their digital device. Among the most popular video calling apps is , but that's for iPhones, iPads and Macintosh computers only. Amazon Alexa, Facebook Messenger, Google Duo, IMO, , Viber and WhatsApp also work on Google Android, Microsoft Windows and other devices. Be sure to coordinate so that everybody is on the same platform. This way, grandkids of different siblings can be on the same story time call. Older kids can make the call more like adults’ book clubs. Both grandparent and grandchild can read a couple of chapters of the same book and talk about their impressions or what they learned. Watching the same TV show, such as a documentary on Netflix or Amazon Prime, also can help spark discussion that spans generations. And if or watching a documentary isn't an option, perhaps because of your loved one's memory loss, help the kids in a sing-along. Singing old, familiar songs — “Happy Birthday,” classic hymns if they're religious — can bring back memories and is a skill that often remains even if speech is difficult.

5 Order a jigsaw puzzle — of your family

Send a personalized puzzle to your loved one to help keep them occupied. Resolution Productions/Getty Images Mail-order companies specialize in custom puzzles from photographs or perhaps your child's artwork. If your care recipient is a puzzle lover, you can have a puzzle delivered that contains 2,000 or more pieces. But also available are those with as few as 15 pieces, which might work well for people with dementia or less dexterity. AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe , and your loved one also might want to get in on the act. Talk together about what they might want to give or what they see as a need for staff. Talk with staffers about what they need or are allowed to receive. Federal officials are telling employees in senior living communities not to share pens and notepads. So a personal pen and pad that workers can keep in their pockets might be welcome. Bulk personalized pens can be ordered online in quantities of as few as a dozen. Or think beyond the traditional baked goods and candy to items that are individually wrapped and can last a while: clementines or oranges, healthy snacks like nuts, instant drink or vitamin C packets to add to water, sugar-free gum and tea bags. Staff also might appreciate bath bombs, hand soaps or lip balm for self-care; eyeglass or screen cleaners; little flashlights; tote bags; or water bottles. Some places allow staff members to accept gift cards in small amounts or low-dollar scratch-off lottery tickets. But sometimes the most cherished thank-you is a personalized handwritten note, and make sure to send a copy to their supervisors. If you and your loved one decide on a selection of items, loading them into individual plastic zipper bags can keep them safer from germs. If you drop by on a weekend, know that many centers give their workers every other weekend off, so you might catch only half the staff. MORE FROM AARP AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Family Caregiving offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Family Caregiving offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS