SOCIAL WELLNESS

By Kari Bell, River Garden Senior Services make social interaction part of your health care plan

River Garden is delighted to again be At River Garden, we have been encouraged able to welcome a limited number of by each other. Staff & residents have become visitors back on to our campus! Recent closer, and members at The Coves have changes in the Governor’s executive order answered the need for peer support by concerning nursing home visitation make making phone calls to their neighbors, this possible, albeit with guidelines, and writing notes, initiating walking groups, and visiting for Essential Caregivers and more. Plus, everyone has learned how to use Compassionate Care Visitors began at River technology to engage with others in new Garden on Thursday, ways. September 10.

You can imagine the think that one secret to excitement. In an open living a life of good health, letter to the Governor longevity and happiness is in mid-August, CEO remaining connected to each Martin Goetz shared other. Auxiliary friends. support and ideas about Mahjong friends. Synagogue how the Governor friends. Work friends. might move in the Neighborhood friends. We direction of allowing all need friends. It might not visitation in long-term look the same as it did ten care communities like months ago, but let’s be sure River Garden, social interaction needs to recognizing that be a part of our plan for COVID-19 has been the healthy aging. most humbling Altogether, it’s made me experience of [his] life Life is full of changes and and that prohibiting coping with all of these family visitation, except changes sometimes feels for compassionate care, overwhelming, especially has been heart-wrenching. Goetz also spoke when multiple changes occur at the same about visitation on the Melissa Ross radio time or overlap, as they tend to do in later show in early September. years. Regardless of how changes come about the way you handle them is perhaps the most

Lack of visitation is not the only example influential factor in defining their impact on of the toll this pandemic has taken on our your health and happiness. Let your friends emotional health. Those in caregiving roles help. Right now, we are all experiencing a lot —personal or professional—have experienced of emotions and a range of impacts due to stress and uncertainty with few outlets to COVID-19. Please take care of yourself, reduce tension. Many families— old and check on your loved ones, especially those young—have felt isolated, lonely and may who live alone, and connect with a friend. even have become depressed. Doctor’s orders.

Being alone is different than being lonely. Even when we have to remain physically distanced, having social support is important. Here are seven (7) reminders about building and sustaining a good support network:

1. Make relationships a priority. 2. Recognize the importance of give-and-take. 3. Respect boundaries. 4. Don't compete with others. 5. Avoid relentless complaining. 6. Adopt a positive outlook. 7. Listen well.