COVID-19 has affected all of us. However, it can be especially challenging for grandparents to connect with their grandkids during this time. Older adults are at the highest risk for complications from COVID-19. That means you need to be careful about how you connect with your grandkids during the pandemic.
That being said, there are still plenty of ways you can have fun with your grandkids without risking your health. You may just need to get a bit creative to do so. Keep reading to find some tips that will help you get started.
Modern technology enables us to connect with each other even when we aren’t together. If you and your grandkids have a favorite movie or show, you can still watch it together during this pandemic. Instead of risking your health to do so in person, consider creating a fun online watch party.
You can connect on Zoom, hit play at the same time, and talk throughout the film. This is an excellent way to give your kids a few hours of relief from the stresses of parenting during COVID-19. It’s also an opportunity for you to connect with your grandkids in a safe, fun way.
You can also use technologies like Zoom to play puzzles and word games with your grandkids. Websites like Squigly’s Playhouse feature tons of mad libs you can create together. These are funny stories that you and your grandkids create on the spot. Join a Zoom call together, click on the same link, and you’ll find a fun way to connect with your grandkids virtually for a few hours.
COVID-19 is the perfect opportunity to show your grandkids some of the best books you read as a child. You can set up a schedule and read them together virtually. You’ll have a good reason to talk with one another and an opportunity to help your grandkids improve their reading skills. It’s another excellent way to entertain your grandkids during COVID-19.
You can also connect with your grandkids during the pandemic by eating a meal together. If you live far away from them, consider enlisting the help of your kids to cook the same food while you talk over a Zoom call.
If you live close to your grandkids, you may even want to consider hosting a social distance dinner. You can invite your family over to your home and cook for them. Just make sure you keep at least six feet apart from one another so you don’t risk your health.
Letter writing is a lost art. COVID-19 is the perfect opportunity to teach it to your grandkids. They’ll get to work on their handwriting and can even draw pictures to send to you. You can send a two-way story back and forth, journal, or just send questions back and forth. Regardless, you’ll get to connect with your grandkids in a new, fun way.
The time you spend with your grandkids is precious. Losing that time can be challenging — especially if you’re very close with your grandkids. Although the tips above offer opportunities to connect with them, you may still find yourself feeling down more often than usual.
If your mental health is really suffering, you may want to consider speaking with a therapist to address the issue head-on. Your Medicare health insurance may even be able to reduce the costs of doing so. Medicare Part B covers one depression screening per year as well as certain types of individual and group psychotherapy.
Consider reaching out to Time For 65 to learn more about using your Medicare coverage to support your mental health. You can contact us by filling out this form or by giving us a call.
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