Tips To Help Stay In Touch
In today’s climate with stay at home orders in place, it makes it harder to visit with your loved ones. On bright spot coming out of the current restrictions on face to face visits is that it forces us to adopt new technology to stay in touch that we may have been resistant to trying out. Below are some helpful tools to stay in touch with your friends and family from afar. These tools are especially helpful during current conditions, but hopefully will allow better and more frequent communication when circumstances return to normal.
Face Time
If you and your loved on have an iPhone or iPad, you can Face Time with each other. Essentially, this is a phone call that enables you to see each other on your screen. You can see each other and hear each other. This comes pre-installed on iPhones and IPads.
Google Duo
This is the android version of Face Time that allows you to see each other while you talk. You can see each other’s faces, facial expressions and hand gestures. You can search the App Store or the Google Play Store to download this app on your device.
Zoom
Zoom is a video conferencing app that can be downloaded on your phone, tablet or computer. You can use this as long as there is a camera on the device you’re using. This tool can also be found in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
Skype
Skype is another tool to use to facilitate video calls and chats and is also available in your device where you download and purchase apps.
Grandpad
This is a senior-friendly tablet that allows seniors to make calls, chat and have video calls. It can come with or without cellular service.
Old Fashioned Phone Calls and Letters
It’s old school, but sometimes something as a simple as hearing your loved ones voice on the phone can make you and them feel better. Even in today’s “tech-heavy” times, people still love receiving letters and cards from their family and friends.
With the video conferencing apps and with most cell phones you can engage in group calls, which may allow you to have a mini family reunion.
Most of these apps can be downloaded in your phone, tablet or computer’s app store. The workers at John Knox Village East and Meyer Care Center have helped residents and their families use this technology. If you have questions, give us a call at 660 584 4416, we’ll be happy to help you use these video phone call apps.
