How Seniors at UMC are fighting Back Against COVID

The coronavirus pandemic is still very much part of our everyday lives, and since it affects older people with health conditions more severely, the safe thing to do is to self-isolate and take care of yourself at home. Keep your distance from others including your own family. This can be very difficult as many people are very attached to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

However, the good news is that seniors are taking proactive measures against COVID 19. The recovery and positive attitude of older adults across the world have inspired a glimmer of hope in these otherwise dark times.

What are our elders doing to fight back against this pandemic?

Learning new technologies

There are many ways to see and catch up with family and friends without leaving your apartment with free communication tools like Skype to smartphone apps like Facetime. However, many older Americans lack the necessary skills to stay connected through technology. This did not stop our seniors — UMC residents are learning how to use these technologies and make them part of their everyday lives.

Playing socially safe bingo

There is nothing like an old fashioned bingo game to bring people together; in fact, bingo is more than just a fun activity. Researchers have found that playing bingo has multiple health benefits for older adults. It takes concentration – which improves listening and short term memory skills and promotes socialization – which is essential for seniors to maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle. Although we can not play games in groups at this time, our seniors, together with our associates, made a plan, and bingo is still being played in a socially safe manner.

Making masks

In the wake of COVID-19, seniors have been using their skills to benefit the community. Many friends of UMC have been working on the creation and distribution of face masks to protect all associates, residents, clients, volunteers, and others from the potential spread of the coronavirus.

In times like these, it is normal to be apprehensive, but we must remember that this too will pass. Thank you UMC seniors for staying positive and thank you for making an effort to stay in touch — your family needs you just as much as you need them.

At United Methodist Communities in Pitman NJ, we stay positive while staying safe, our staff experts have seniors’ best interest at heart. We encourage our seniors to stay healthy and social during these times aiding them in every way we can.

For more information on Assisted Living at our Pitman please visit our website at https://umcommunities.org/pitman/