Renee Kinder with Broad River Rehab has shared information for families and caregivers on practical guidance on how to keep families and residents connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read Kinder’s column, Televisit: Tips for communicating with loved ones from afar (mcknights.com, March 12, 2020). It offers great information on keeping lines of communication open. Kinder’s advice includes:

1. Families should set a schedule and stick to it. This will help decrease anxiety and for individuals with memory loss, having a written cue about the schedule may help.
2. Consider the auditory environment—from everything to background noise, the resident’s ability to hear a device ringing, to using an even vocal tone on a call.
3. Think about strategies to improve the visual field for the resident—think about glasses, lighting, and contrast if the resident is looking at a written message on a screen.
4. Test any technology options you are using and be prepared if something goes wrong. No one wants a dropped call or Facetime session.
5. Consider written notes—it gives a loved one something to hold onto and reflect upon. Families could write messages with a daily theme and reminisce.

Another great resource is this column by Courtney Malengo, APR, How to communicate about coronavirus and quell fear (mcknights.com, March 12, 2020)