Shape Up Your Longevity

Be part of something that is bigger than you.

Goal: Be an active member of a faith community, AA, or group that allows you to place your faith and challenges in a higher power.

Ideas:

Right now, it’s especially important to stay connected. Here are some ideas:

1. How about writing a letter or card?! Send a card or letter through snail mail today – to someone you know or get a new pen pal going! You can get help from your children who may be out of school or, if you want to reach out on your own, call your local senior center or senior living community and ask if you can get a letter to them to share with someone new. You don’t need a name, just send it off to a staff member who will hand it to someone else interested in connecting.
2. Call someone now! Leo Buscaglia said that we need “10 hugs a day” to stay well and connected. So, get as close as you can by reaching out and touching someone on the phone. That’s an old commercial—wasn’t it?
3. Amazon Alexa and Google Home and other devices can “drop in” on your contacts and let you talk with them, like a two-way intercom.
4. Use FaceTime and conferencing on your cell phone.
5. Video conferencing on Zoom is free and easy to use from your cell phone or computer, and WebEx video conferencing has upgraded their free plan in response to so many working from home. Paid resources include BombBomb for sending one-to-one videos in Gmail or Google Chrome; and GoToMeeting for HD video conferences.
6. Alexa Show and Facebook Portal can connect visually like on your phone, but on screens that can be as large as your television screen. Facebook Portal can turn your TV into a giant video chat display and works with Messenger and WhatsApp.