Submitted on Wednesday January 15th, 2014
When your relative lives far away, a holiday visit may reveal disconcerting changes.
And once you’re home again, distance makes everything more challenging, from knowing what’s needed, to getting tasks accomplished. Here are some tips.
Stay in touch. This is a win-win. You stay current on issues, and your relative gets the emotional boost.
- Use the phone, email, and/or Web-based video calls. Connect at different times of day to see what’s up. Is mom sleeping a lot? What’s on the table at dinnertime?
- Ask about any injuries or falls. This information is important but may not be volunteered.
- If your relative lives alone, consider having him or her give you an “I’m up!” call or text by a preset hour.