December 14, 2018
Keeping in Touch
Living Your Best Life
Someone who is accustomed to enjoying a vibrant social life filled with friends, extended family, and work associates can feel left out of life’s activity if temporarily laid up or if a life change makes socializing difficult.
Having a specialized nurse can open the doors to keeping in touch and staying socially engaged.
There are several ways that a highly skilled caregiver can keep clients in touch with family and friends both in and out of the home.
In-home
- Skype/Facetime: Why settle for just voice, when Skype and Facetime provide a much richer experience? Caregivers can set up the technology for a “call” that comes close to being there in person. Going beyond the conversation, those who are fans of “Say Yes to the Dress” will instantly appreciate how much the video component can be utilized to include grandma in picking out a wedding dress. One Boston-based client we know sets up a daily 5pm “cocktail hour” call with her sister in Cleveland to go over their day’s events. When you can’t be there in person, Skype can often be the next best thing.
- Email and text: Among the more tech proficient, email and texting provide wonderful immediacy and inclusion. Clients can weigh in on family or group plans – to be part of the banter and the decision-making.
- Digital communications are terrific for being involved, but sometimes working a keyboard, especially on a smartphone, can present obstacles. Here again a professional caregiver can be of invaluable help and do the typing for a client. And, importantly, they can be discrete about any sensitive information.
- Letter writing: How many of us have printed and saved an email? But a letter or a card can become a keepsake. Letter writing as an art that is still immensely appreciated by those on the receiving end, especially when it comes from a loved one. A specialized nurse can write your message, order beautiful stationery, and make sure notes are sent on a timely basis.
- Casual entertaining: Having friends over for coffee or cocktails can be immensely enjoyable. A caregiver can pass hors d’oeuvres to make any guest feel warmly welcome. If a full meal is what a client has in mind, a caregiver can prepare the dishes or arrange for food to be brought in.
Out-of-home
A skilled caregiver can go a long way to getting a client out of the house and into a social environment. Basic help with getting into a car or cab, walking, and carrying bags can make it possible for clients to leave their home, get out into the world, and feel like themselves.
Whether in your home or out at events, your caregiver is an extension of you. As such, he or she should favorably reflect upon you – not only in fulfilling responsibilities, but in their social etiquette and appearance. As an agency that is dedicated to providing concierge-level private care, Privatus makes sure that your caregiver meets the highest expectations in all aspects of their service. Click here to learn more about our highly skilled staff.