In this day of social distancing, it can be extremely frustrating to not be able to see your parents, or for your children to miss seeing their grandparents. However, there are ways to keep parents involved in your lives even while staying a safe distance from them.
Virtual Calls
Even grandparents these days are learning how to be more tech savvy with video calls that allow them to see and speak with their family members. With the proliferation of video chatting services like FaceTime and Zoom, there are many options for grandparents to see and hear about what’s going on in your lives, and to tell you about what’s going on in theirs.
Going for Walks
Depending on your aging loved ones’ susceptibility to viruses and their ease of mobility, it may be possible to go for walks around the neighborhood or in a park with them, while wearing protective masks and keeping a distance of at least 6 feet between yourselves. This has the added benefit of getting your loved ones outside as well, which has been proven to provide health benefits such as increased energy, better mood and stronger immune response.
Home Health Care Services
If you can’t be with your parents in person, you can keep parents involved with a home healthcare service provider. When you choose professionals, you can request assistance with tasks such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, respite care, and companionship. You can be assured that everything is running smoothly while you can’t be there for them.
Jimmy Clonaris is Managing Partner at BlueDot Cares, where he oversees operations, caregiver standards, and service delivery for in-home care across the organization. With more than 19 years of experience in healthcare and over a decade with BlueDot, he has been directly involved in building and scaling care programs that support individuals aging at home.
His work focuses on the practical side of care delivery. This includes caregiver training and oversight, care plan consistency, and coordination with families and local healthcare professionals. Jimmy is actively involved in ensuring that care is not only well-structured on paper, but executed reliably in the home.
Over the course of his career, he has worked with thousands of families navigating care decisions, from short-term recovery support to long-term in-home care. His approach is grounded in clear communication, accountability, and building systems that allow caregivers to deliver consistent, high-quality support.
Under his leadership, BlueDot Cares has grown to support tens of thousands of families while maintaining a locally operated, relationship-driven model. He continues to focus on strengthening the team, improving care standards, and ensuring families have a dependable partner when care is needed.
