FaceTime and Its Importance for Seniors in Long-Term Care During the COVID-19 Crisis

Communication with our seniors is key during this COVID-19 pandemic. We don't want social distancing to lead to social isolation.

One great way to connect with anyone and especially seniors in long-term care is with video conferencing. FaceTime is one of the easiest tools around for video conferencing on computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Why is FaceTime such a good option?

It's an Apple product

FaceTime is a proprietary program owned and developed by Apple. As such, FaceTime is already pre-installed on all Apple devices.

For anyone owning an iPhone, this app is already on their phone. You don't have to look for it and install it. It's already there.

It's free

There are plenty of video conferencing options, but not all of them are free. FaceTime is free.

It's easy to use

It's super easy to use. You don't have to very tech-savvy to operate it. It's super easy to call someone or receive a call on FaceTime.

Live video is more fun

Obviously, you can still just call someone on his or her phone. But using live video is more fun. It's great to see someone in real time, and it can be very comforting and reassuring to actually see the person.

If you have a friend or relative living in our long-term care community, we highly recommend video conferencing to keep in touch. FaceTime is only for Apple devices, but for Mac, iPad, and iPhone owners, it's the simplest app to use.