Magnolia Manor Blog

Even though it seems as if life completely shut down for nearly all of 2020 because of the pandemic, the truth is that life goes on, no matter what. Sometimes that includes moving from one home to another. So, with all the restrictions surrounding COVID-19, what was it like to move to a senior living community during this time?

Many seniors have had a chance to travel the world over, or at least visit a few intriguing destinations across the country or in a foreign land. But not everyone has been so fortunate. And these days, travel is off the menu, especially for seniors who are at higher risk of COVID-19 or who may be in less-than-travel-worthy health.

The next best thing? Travel documentaries! Richly rewarding, absorbing, entertaining, and educational. Mild to wild, there is something (or should we say, someplace) for everyone. And so many to choose from! The world of travel documentaries is as vast as the world itself.

The pandemic continues, and we could all use something new to occupy our time, not to mention our hands and our minds, as we wait it out – especially seniors still deprived of in-person visits with loved ones. So here comes some well-timed good news: January is National Hobby Month.

What better time to reacquaint yourself with an old-favorite hobby, or to take up a brand new one. Focusing on something engrossing and learning new things are proven winners when it comes to re-fueling your mind, body, and spirit.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought home to all of us just how vital it is to stay connected with loved ones, especially our seniors. Right away, as soon as stay-at-home orders were being issued, our Magnolia Manor team jumped into action. We created Family Connect, a program to keep our residents in touch with their families. No physical contact allowed, maybe, but our goal was to ensure plenty of face time.

We are both proud and pleased to say that Family Connect has been a tremendous success, for everyone involved.

Dry. Sore. Red. Itchy. Rough. Chapped, even cracked. Did we mention dry? Your hands have become victims of COVID-19 in an entirely unexpected way, thanks to all that extra hand-washing you’re doing. Seniors are more vulnerable to the side-effects of excessive hand washing because skin naturally loses moisture as we age. You’re also more vulnerable if you’re prone to eczema or other forms of dermatitis.

But this is one problem you can easily solve. And when your hands feel better, you may even feel a little bit better about having to stay away from your friends and family, especially the grandkids.

So let’s heal those dry hands.

Feeling a little too cooped-up in self-quarantine? By now we’re all going a bit stir crazy. For seniors who live alone, physical separation from friends and loved ones can feel especially difficult. Psychologists suggest you should take heart knowing that literally billions of others around the world are also staying at home, many of them alone.

But let’s be honest. Knowing you’re not alone doesn’t really make you feel less alone, does it? It’s time to take action!

It’s so hard knowing your grandkids are close-by, yet, thanks to coronavirus-inspired social distancing, they cannot visit in person so you can hug and smooch and chat with them in the usual ways. Even under normal conditions, lots of grandparents don’t have the luxury of living near their adult children and grandkids. So they know a little something about keeping in touch even when you can’t literally touch each other.

Here are some tips from grandparents who have found rewarding ways to stay connected during these difficult times and beyond.