Just want to talk: What are other seniors doing while staying home?

Posted by Funcountess @funcountess, Apr 2, 2020

Just wondering what us seniors are doing, other then watching t.v.
Today I took everything out of the pantry, and put the food on the two large, flat carousels I had that were just sitting unused, had extra can goods that I do not use, so will give to the Gardner, who lives in a high density building with many unemployed people. Even small acts of kindness will go a long way. The situation the world is in will not go away overnight, it will take time, so STAY HOME, AND STAY BUSY.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

My extended family is large and members live in various states. It has been quite a while since almost any of us has communicated with each other, so while at home I started a group on Facebook Messenger with all my relatives included and have been weekly sending news from home, jokes, asking for advice and giving advice, sharing recipes and updating new addresses, etc. I spread the word to all to add new member's names such as in laws or people I didn't even know were my relatives! We review new movies seen and one person posted a photo of a strange insect found in their yard and asked who recognized it! Also I have been calling friends and relatives in assisted living facilities or living home alone.
I finally have plenty of time to sort through my mountain of old "important" papers, most of which can be thrown out! FedEx, UPS and USPS are at my door every week, so now I make more trips to the recycling center with trash because we don't have garbage pickup in farm country. I own 5 musical instruments, have a jewelry making hobby, paint by number and help my husband make minor repairs constantly to the old farmhouse we bought. The most fun we've had recently was driving to the clinic to get our Covid 19 vaccine shots. Whoopee!

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@kneadmuscles53

My extended family is large and members live in various states. It has been quite a while since almost any of us has communicated with each other, so while at home I started a group on Facebook Messenger with all my relatives included and have been weekly sending news from home, jokes, asking for advice and giving advice, sharing recipes and updating new addresses, etc. I spread the word to all to add new member's names such as in laws or people I didn't even know were my relatives! We review new movies seen and one person posted a photo of a strange insect found in their yard and asked who recognized it! Also I have been calling friends and relatives in assisted living facilities or living home alone.
I finally have plenty of time to sort through my mountain of old "important" papers, most of which can be thrown out! FedEx, UPS and USPS are at my door every week, so now I make more trips to the recycling center with trash because we don't have garbage pickup in farm country. I own 5 musical instruments, have a jewelry making hobby, paint by number and help my husband make minor repairs constantly to the old farmhouse we bought. The most fun we've had recently was driving to the clinic to get our Covid 19 vaccine shots. Whoopee!

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Hello @kneadmuscles53, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Setting up a group of Facebook Messenger with all of your relatives is a great idea and a good way to maintain contacts. Have you ever tried a Zoom session so that you can see each other and talk?

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@kneadmuscles53

My extended family is large and members live in various states. It has been quite a while since almost any of us has communicated with each other, so while at home I started a group on Facebook Messenger with all my relatives included and have been weekly sending news from home, jokes, asking for advice and giving advice, sharing recipes and updating new addresses, etc. I spread the word to all to add new member's names such as in laws or people I didn't even know were my relatives! We review new movies seen and one person posted a photo of a strange insect found in their yard and asked who recognized it! Also I have been calling friends and relatives in assisted living facilities or living home alone.
I finally have plenty of time to sort through my mountain of old "important" papers, most of which can be thrown out! FedEx, UPS and USPS are at my door every week, so now I make more trips to the recycling center with trash because we don't have garbage pickup in farm country. I own 5 musical instruments, have a jewelry making hobby, paint by number and help my husband make minor repairs constantly to the old farmhouse we bought. The most fun we've had recently was driving to the clinic to get our Covid 19 vaccine shots. Whoopee!

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@kneadmuscles53 Wow! I really like your ideas! Especially the Facebook group. My sister set up something similar so we can all communicate on Fb messenger. Will you keep it going after Covid?

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@johnbishop

Hello @kneadmuscles53, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Setting up a group of Facebook Messenger with all of your relatives is a great idea and a good way to maintain contacts. Have you ever tried a Zoom session so that you can see each other and talk?

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I would love to try a Zoom session, but my relatives are so busy doing who knows what that they are mostly not answering me about communicating. I have met an unknown cousin through Messenger. It is my children and cousins who were already sending messages to me before I made the group that respond now. I send holiday greetings, recipes, jokes and movie reviews every week and occasionally someone new is motivated to answer.

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@becsbuddy

@kneadmuscles53 Wow! I really like your ideas! Especially the Facebook group. My sister set up something similar so we can all communicate on Fb messenger. Will you keep it going after Covid?

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Will definitely keep it going. Maybe if I encourage cousins to talk about grandchildren there will be more interest! It is sad how little we see or hear from each other when several of us would meet every weekend at Nonna's (grandma's) house for Sabbath buffet when we were growing up.

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@suzquez

I get up, write one thing I was grateful for for yesterday, pray, play the piano at least ten minutes, work on past journals at least 15 minutes, work on photo albums at least 15 minutes, then sew.

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Susquehanna Sounds like you keep busy! I’d love to know what you do with the photo albums! Will you share? Becky

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They are upstairs in a cupboard. My 5 girls and grandchildren can look at them and take a phone photo of any they want to keep.

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@becsbuddy

Susquehanna Sounds like you keep busy! I’d love to know what you do with the photo albums! Will you share? Becky

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suzquez. I think I must have made a typo error or it was auto correct, I certainly didn’t mean to call you Susquehanna! Please accept my apology. Becky

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