COVID-19 Has Really Changed How We Will Celebrate Mother’s Day!
Mother’s Day in 2020 is bound to feel a lot different than what most of us are accustomed to. With practically the whole world shut down, things just don’t seem the same. If you can’t visit your mom this Mother’s Day because of the virus, odds are you miss her very much.
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Been Affecting Families
COVID-19 swept through the world and cast a dark shadow over families all over the planet. Visiting parents in memory care has become unadvisable as everyone is worried about spreading the virus to their family. And our seniors are the most vulnerable demographic to be affected.
If your mother lives in a care home, and you can’t visit her, you can of course still keep in contact, but it will be different. Families across the country and beyond our shores have been struggling to cope with the fact that they have to stay apart for the safety of all.
When there’s a crisis, it’s only natural to want to be there for our loved ones, especially for our mothers. The fact that COVID-19 makes that impractical has been causing widespread misery and despair.
We All Want To Visit Our Mom’s, Especially on Mother’s Day.
But many of us cannot do so because it would put them at risk. And the government has put strict rules in place. No outside visitors, unless deemed medically necessary, are allowed to enter these homes. We can all agree that the worst Mother’s Day gift of all would be the gift of COVID-19. That’s why as painful as it is, it’s vital for you to keep a safe distance from mother living in a community. And this is to give them the best chance of making it through the pandemic and staying healthy.
The New Normal- Living With COVID-19
The pandemic has changed the way we interact with our families dramatically. In lieu of being able to physically visit our loved ones, we have come to rely on technology to help us stay connected. And that is good news. At least we can see Mom in her home. And depending on her stage in the disease we may be able to visit and interact with her also.
With Mother’s Day coming up, calling her is a must. But don’t just wait for Mother’s Day. You should also remember to call her as frequently as you’re able. Hearing your voice will be helpful to both of you. And if you both can do a video call that’s even better! But even just hearing her voice is the best medicine this Mother’s Day.
How to Cope When Missing Your Mom on Mother’s Day
There are countless things you can do to cope with missing your mom this year. Fire up the old projector or curl up and start watching old family videos. Whether it’s on a tape from a camcorder or a flash drive, watching old family videos is a great way to connect with your mom when you can’t be with her.
The memories that are captured on family videos are precious and have a life of their own. They capture treasured moments that you can revisit at leisure. Watching family videos can help feel a sense of connection during this difficult time.
If you don’t have any videos, look at family pictures. Don’t just scan through them, sit down and think back to where you were when the photos were taken. Think of how you felt at that time. Not all photos will be of happy memories. You might find yourself looking at photos that were taken when your family had a fight shortly before or after. You might see feigned smiles. Whatever was happening at that time, you can put those feelings aside. No matter what the nature of the conflict may have been, you can cast those feelings aside now. All that matters is what you feel now, and how much you miss you, mom.
After watching the videos and going through family pictures, it would be a perfect time to call your mom and talk about all of the happy memories while they are still fresh in your mind.
Include Your Mom
If your mom is tech-savvy, you can do something even better and include her. Or you can enlist the help of a caregiver at her memory care home to help. You can email her the family videos and pictures and then look at them together on a video call. You can use Skype or any free video call service to connect with your mom and share your screens.
By sharing your screen, you’ll both be able to see the videos and pictures at the same time and can talk about them together. This is a great opportunity to bring your mom some cheer on Mother’s Day by watching videos of the happier times together and reminiscing.
Look to a Brighter Future
COVID-19 is all anyone can talk about these days, but it will pass in time. Do your best to look forward to next year, better yet, call your mom and plan a perfect and beautiful Mother’s Day celebration for next year. Once the pandemic has passed, it will be time to reflect and celebrate. Be sure to remind your mom and yourself, that brighter times are ahead.
Caring for someone with dementia is not easy. It can weigh heavily on your heart. Allowing someone else to take over the daily care routine will allow you to be the spouse, daughter, son, or grandchild again.
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