When you have a parent who moves into an assisted living facility, you'll want to maintain a close relationship. Regular visits are important, but if the facility isn't conveniently located to your home, these in-person visits may only occur once per week. An effective way to maintain your relationship is through video chatting. This is especially ideal if you have young children, as your elderly parent will want to see his or her grandchildren instead of just talk to them on the phone. Video conferencing can be a challenge for some senior citizens, but an in-person tutorial with your parent's tablet and the following tips can make your video conversations go smoothly.

Find A Quiet Spot

If your elderly parent gets into the habit of carrying around a tablet, he or she may initiate a video chat session with you at any point during the day. Some areas of the assisted living facility, however, might not be conducive to doing so. For example, if your parent is in the dining room at mealtime, the background noise may make the conversation difficult. Make sure that your parent knows the importance of finding a quiet spot for the video sessions. In most cases, this will be in your parent's room with the door shut, although there may also be other tranquil areas in the home that can be used.

Use Headphones

It's useful to equip your elderly parent with a set of headphones to use for video chatting. They are not only considerate for people who may be near your parent and might not want to hear both sides of the conversation, but can also improve the clarity of the chat. If your parent has hearing challenges, for example, he or she will have a better chance of hearing your voice clearly through the headphones than through the tiny speaker on the tablet. Additionally, the use of the headphones can negate any echoes that may occur in the room.

Face The Light

For an optimal experience, remind your parent to face a light source when using the tablet for video chatting. This will mean that his or her face will be illuminated, giving you and your family a chance to see him or her clearly. Your parent can sit in front of a light or in front of a window. This is better than sitting with his or her back to the window, for example, as your parent's face will be in the shadows, thus making the video chat less than optimal.

If your parent is looking to move into an assisted living facility, check out websites like http://www.graceseniorcommunity.com for more information.

Share