Have you been struggling with the flood of social media sites for day-to-day communications?
In my work as a professor of Social Work, I see person-to-person contacts lagging while network-to-network social connections multiply. With technological advances our contemporary society is more connected than ever.
Connecting with others and recognizing their needs, and our own, provides a vital connection for our everyday lives. Yet we are, in fact, less socially engaged than ever before. We connect through technology, but our interpersonal and intimate relationships remain far behind. Simply put, we connect more, and relate less.
And the Covid-19 pandemic, which has now taken half a million lives (at this writing), only compounds our communication deficits. Yet we need to connect. Connecting with a partner, family, friends, children, and others helps us open up our pandemic-shuttered world.
Below are some “connecting” ideas. I would welcome any other areas you might suggest, or any observations you might on “connecting.”
- My Life, My Stories – Looking for a way to connect, share and tell your story? Check our My Life, My Stories, an amazing non-profit organization that seeks to connect generations for storytelling and relating.
https://www.mylifemystories.org
- EasterSeals – Focused on older adults living with disabilities with a helpline that can connect to a variety of services.
https://www.easterseals.com/our-programs/senior-services/services-for-older-adults.html
- Alzheimer’s Association – Support for caregivers and resource help.
https://www.alz.org
- Alzheimer’s Foundation of America – Support for caregivers, resources help, telephone-based groups, staffed only by licensed social workers.
https://alzfdn.org/?gclid=CjwKCAiAjp6BBhAIEiwAkO9WuoM3usyJTSMt2LTXRGitmv-Ku3dbZ2UIjGxP-5YeOCc3XOOBLNr73RoCi4AQAvD_BwE
- Virtual Book Clubs – Time has a list of virtual book clubs to peruse and get this idea rolling, for those who want to get back to doing what they love.
https://time.com/5809322/social-distancing-book-clubs/
- Cirkel – Intergenerational connecting platform.
https://www.cirkel.world/about
- Encore – Dedicated to intergenerational community building, Encore has a variety of programs available for those wanting to make their next move.
https://encore.org/our-team/
- Gifts of Gab (primarily for social workers) – GiftsofGab.org is a volunteer call-based companion coordination that connects social work students with those in need of social interaction to combat the negative effects loneliness can have on long term health.
https://www.giftsofgab.org - AARP Connect2Effect – AARP has numerous options for connecting, volunteering, and supporting.
https://connect2affect.org/
AgingSmart.net 