5 Ways You Can Connect with Others During the Coronavirus Outbreak.
Posted on 15th April 2020With the coronavirus outbreak still in full force across the UK, many of us haven’t seen our loved ones in weeks and are finding isolation increasingly difficult. As much as we all know that we are doing the best thing for them and keeping them safe, it doesn’t ease the heartache that comes from being away from our nearest and dearest.
If you or a loved one is starting to feel the effects of being confined at home, here are some suggestions that we have been using to try and help us stay connected during these challenging times.
Schedule virtual visits with friends and family.
With so many free ways to see each other virtually online you needn’t miss out on family time totally. Our favourites are Skype, Zoom and WhatsApp video. With so many online communication tools it’s easy to feel more connected to loved ones than ever. If technology isn’t for you then nothing beats a quick phone call to help lift spirits.
Try to have something in the diary, it gives you something to look forward to.
Join an online discussion group or book club.
No matter what your hobby I guarantee that there will be an online group for you to join. Facebook is usually a good place to start for this sort of thing. If you have elderly relatives why not use one of your online “visits” to talk them through how to join. With a little more downtime on our hands a lot of us have turned to reading and Good Reads is a great place to start if you’re looking for an online book club. You can join them here: www.goodreads.com/group/show/21875-uk-book-club
Watch live theatre and concerts online.
So many musicians and performers are offering free concerts online at the moment. What’s On Stage have a great list of plays, operas and ballets you can stream for free you can check out what’s happening this week here: https://bit.ly/2K4VHRl If live music is more your thing then take a look at this list for dozens of live and pre-recorded concerts that are free to watch: https://bit.ly/3bcxWCT
Communicate the old-fashioned way
If you’re looking for a way to pass the time and still keep in contact with someone how about writing a good old-fashioned letter? The postal service is still running well currently and we all love getting a letter in the post. There is a lovely subscription service from Oh Deer that sends out some beautiful stationary every month so why not treat yourself at the same time as making someone else smile.
Play your favourite games online.
Why not set up a quiz between family members? Zoom offers the ability to have a large group of people all together at one time so maybe designate someone as the quizmaster and have a night in with the family. Words with Friends is exactly like its sounds, it’s like scrabble online. Whatever your favourite game is Google it, there will be an online version you can play either with your friends or maybe take the chance to make some new ones.
