Stay Home- Stay Safe- Stay In Touch
As we moved further in to 2020 we became aware of a virus that was spreading around the world. As Coronavirus spread, little did we know the affect this would have on us all. In this blog we will share ideas to keep occupied and, more importantly, to stay in touch with friends and family.
Who do I need to keep in touch with?
We are all understanding of the need to protect older or vulnerable friends and family from the virus. It is difficult to practice social distancing when we want to visit our family and they will feel the same way. No one knows how long we have to live under these restrictions so it is a good idea to draw up a contact list. Make a list of the people you want to keep in contact with. They could be family, friends, neighbours or even people you don’t know but need some support. You may have volunteered to make contact with people through the government scheme.
Whoever it may be, set aside an amount of time each week to contact them, ask them how they are and how they are feeling. It may be that you need to hear from them as much as they do from you.
How do we keep in touch?
Gone are the days where we rely on a pen and paper or a landline phone call. Technology today allows us to make contact with our friends and family all over the world.
It might be you take the time to write a personal email, detailing all the activities you have been busy with and sharing how you feel. You can include photographs in your email of your family, pets or the garden. Who doesn’t enjoy reading an email where someone has taken the time to share their time with you?
It is easy to send a text message to someone, but it isn’t quite like hearing their voice or seeing their face. Most of us have FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, Google hangouts and Skype available. This allows us to make a video call and see our family in person. This is great for the Grandchildren who may be missing Grandparents, and vice versa. Skype enables several people to join the conversation and share an online meet up.
It doesn’t matter how you make contact, the most important thing is that you do. Let someone know you are thinking about them. Self isolation will be hard for many people. The lack of human contact and reassurance can make this a very lonely time. Your call or email might be what they look forward to all week #StayInTouch.
What about social media?
Before lockdown many of us were already active on social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Social media can be a great way to see what our friends and family are doing on a daily basis.
It has been good to see people coming together online to create games and puzzles to keep each other occupied. Photographs have been shared of happier times and these times will come again.
Many companies have used Facebook to hold live quizzes on their pages. The Camping and Caravanning Club and The Caravan and Motorhome Club are two examples.
Others have brought people together through Twitter live streams during the week.
The latest craze during lockdown has been TikTok. This is a platform for sharing mobile videos of creativity, entertainment and fun. TikTok can prove quite a distraction, especially if you find yourself filming a video.
Social media can be a good place to converse with people we know. Throughout the day we can keep in touch and it can provide a distraction during the day.
Can I connect on YouTube?
Yes, YouTube has proven to be a great platform to come together. What if you are missing out on your favourite leisure pastime? Several YouTube channels are holding live streams. These have included competitions and fund raisers for the NHS. This includes channels like Here We Tow, Make Way With The Morleys, Lost Weekends Caravan and Caravanning With The Cox’s.
It has been good to see people joining in on YouTube and chatting in the comments with each other. A live is about a social interaction and we have seen plenty of that.
The next few months…
Right now there is much uncertainty but we must come together, stay in touch and follow the guidance. I am sure we are all craving the freedom of the great outdoors. We cannot wait to see family we have been separated from and give them a hug or listen to their voices in person. These times will come and we will get together again. Until then, stay safe and please do join us on our own social media accounts to keep up to date and occupied.
