Zoom

Probably the most popular free video conferencing app, Zoom can accommodate up to 100 users at a time, meaning it’s likely more than enough for you and your family to connect. Getting software like Zoom to work isn’t always the easiest thing for many older users who may not have a lot of experience with operating these types of platforms.

Thankfully the folks at Zoom have created a number of guides designed to help new users easily set up the application and join conferences.

Residents of independent or assisted living communities should hopefully feel comfortable asking onsite staff to assist with setting up and joining a Zoom meeting. If you or your loved one are in Timberhill Villa, don’t hesitate to reach out to a friendly member of our staff for assistance. 

Skype

Anyone familiar with how smartphones work will recognize Skype. In many respects it functions like a traditional phone application, making it an accessible option for a lot of older people. You can enter family members into a contact list and start a video call with them in a way that’s not entirely dissimilar to making a normal voice call.



Skype doesn’t boast the 100-user maximum that Zoom does but most families wanting to see and speak with their loved one in a retirement community likely don’t need that many participants in a call.

Skype also boasts a live subtitle setting, which can be a huge help for older users who may have trouble clearly understanding all the words coming out of a phone’s small and often low-quality speaker. 

FaceTime 

If you’re a dedicated Apple family then FaceTime may be the application for you. FaceTime is a proprietary video chat platform developed by Apple and included on most of their devices, including iPhones and iPads.



FaceTime imports an Apple devices’ contact list, so there’s no extra step of having to enter in the contact information for other family members. 

Google Duo

Google Duo, another free video chat software, is considered by some to be the easiest option. This software, like FaceTime, is phone number based, so you can automatically initiate video calls with people in your contact list.



Google Duo isn’t the most robust video conferencing platform, but its ease of use makes it a good choice for many older seniors who aren’t interested in investing the time and effort into getting familiar with a new application. 

Facebook Messenger

If your older family member in an assisted living or independent living retirement community already uses social media, they may already be familiar with Facebook Messenger. Facebook Messenger has a built-in video chat feature, allowing users to quickly initiate a face-to-face chat with a loved one without jumping through the hoops necessary to set up a new piece of software and learn how to use it

Using Social Media 

For some seniors being able to connect with family on Facebook and seeing updates regarding each other’s lives can be a great relief. Not everything on social media is altogether wholesome or politically benign, but Facebook does have settings that let users hide posts and content from certain friends or friend groups. If younger family members don’t want their older family members to see certain things, they can hide those particular posts and still be friends and engage with each other’s lives. 

Face-to-Face Communication Isn’t the Only Option 

While the ability to talk over video chats is a huge comfort to many families, it’s certainly not the only way to communicate. There’s nothing wrong with using video chat with the grandkids a couple of times a month and interspersing phone calls, emails and other communications in between.

The most important factors for many older people in assisted living and independent retirement communities is:

·       Having a community around them, even if family isn’t always right there

·       Knowing the people they love care about them enough to reach out frequently



It’s good to remember just hearing the voice of a loved one and having a 15- or 20-minute conversation can improve a senior’s mood and ensure they continue to feel valued and remembered. 

We Help Our Residents Stay in Touch

At Timberhill Villa in San Antonio, many of our independent senior living residents keep in touch with family both near and far remotely through a variety of technological solutions. Our team has experience helping residents set up these systems. Making sure families can stay connected during the coronavirus pandemic is an important service every retirement community should be providing, even those that emphasize independence and freedom.

If you want to learn more about Timberhill Villa, please feel free to call us at (210) 684-3840.