COLORADO SPRINGS — July 11Th is known as 'National Cheer Up The Lonely Day', a holiday where people across U.S. are encouraged to give someone a lift, and brighten their spirits.
One group that is experiencing excessive loneliness right now, is our senior citizens. Many are still cooped up at home, as the pandemic continues to spread. If you know someone who is lonely or going through a difficult time, you can be a bright spot in their life.
Synergy Homecare, a Colorado Springs agency that serves our seniors, has launched a "Senior Connection" campaign. It teaches families and caregivers, how to keep our loved ones most at risk, connected and engaged while at home.
Alice Kershaw, Director of Marketing at Synergy, says all it takes is a little extra thoughtfulness today and beyond.
"One thing we can do is get our seniors set up with their Facebook chats and their zoom calls," Kershaw said. "A great majority of our elders are just not comfortable with these tech devices, so the first step is getting those in place."
A Pew Research Study, found that 60 percent of senior citizens aren't confident about technology. A skill that Kershaw says, everyone needs now that we are all being socially distant.
"With this pandemic everyone is at home. Once you've introduced technology you can then have fun with other things," Kershaw explained.
The campaign also suggests playing board games. You don't have to be in-person to play them. Consider getting the senior in your life a zoom account so they can join in on the fun. We can also treat our seniors to lunch or dinner in the park. Kershaw says, this is a great way to make them feel special.
