Since the COVID-19 crisis favorite restaurants have been strained by diminished customer traffic.  Take-out, pick-up, curb-side, or drive-thru have become the "normal" for that last 36 days.  So we decided to ask about discounts for seniors.  Especially hard hit are the smaller local restaurants. IOWA list. Please contact individual locations for discounts

www.verizon.com.  If you've been thinking about switching cellular companies, now is a great time to review your current plan.  I have been using Verizon services for several years.  It's a good time to call and speak with their customer service department about new plans for your family.  In the day of technology, it's important for us to stay connected.  They have many options to meet your budget and data use. 

Verizon offers 55+ Unlimited plan 
How do I get the 55+ Unlimited plan?

If you're new to Verizon: Once we verify your eligibility, you can sign up online and your account for 1 or 2 phones will be activated with the Unlimited plan for 55+.

If you already have Verizon service, you can call Customer Service at (800) 922-0204 or visit a Verizon store to verify your eligibility and get this plan.

As plans get disrupted by the COVID-19 virus, we are seeing daily life increasingly move into online spaces. While many church meetings, book clubs, classes, and play dates with grandchildren are being cancelled in an effort to reduce the number of infections, the Internet is a wonderful resource to stay connected in what could otherwise be a lonely time period. Thanks to the Internet, there are many ways to see your loved ones face-to-face.
However, it can be disorienting and difficult to adjust to new technology so quickly—not to mention frustrating. So, Senior Lifestyle Advantage Magazine has compiled this how-to guide for the top 4 apps that seniors are using during quarantine, including how to use Zoom, how to use Facebook Messenger, how to use Skype, and how to video chat on your iPhone .

1. Zoom

Zoom is easily the #1 most popular video chat app that seniors are using during quarantine—along with the rest of the world! On March 23 alone, when many global quarantine lockdowns were announced, Zoom was downloaded 2.13 million times .
Zoom is extremely easy to use. Also, depending on your needs, Zoom is free! If 3+ devices are on a Zoom call at once, then you have 40 free minutes per meeting. Zoom won’t charge you if you talk to long; it will just end the call. But if only 2 devices are on the Zoom call, then there is no calling limit. That means that if you and your spouse are sitting at your device, and your grandchildren and their parents are sitting at their device, then all of you can talk for as long as you like.
If you want 3+ devices to participate in a Zoom call for free, don’t worry. Every time Zoom ends your call after 40 minutes, you can simply start a new Zoom call for 40 more free minutes.
Here are some easy instructions on how to use Zoom.
 
How to Use Zoom on Your Computer
The easiest way to use Zoom is on a computer. The host of the Zoom call will send you a link to click, and that’s all you have to do. It’s that easy! Although Zoom will ask you if you want to download or make an account, you don’t have to. All you have to do is click the link. If your children or grandchildren are familiar with Zoom, they can host the meeting and send you the link, which will immediately start the call.
            If you want to set up the meeting yourself, it’s a little more complicated. First, make an account on the Zoom website. Next, download Zoom onto your computer. Finally, you click “New Meeting.”  It will provide you a link or an ID number, which you can distribute to your friends so they can join you on the video call.
 
How to Use Zoom on Your Phone
Before any of these steps for using Zoom on your phone, you will first need to download the Zoom app. It’s free on the app store for both Android and Apple phones.
Joining a Zoom meeting on your phone is easy. The host will need to give you the meeting ID. Click “join a meeting,” input the ID, and immediately begin talking to your friends and family.
To start a Zoom meeting on your phone, click “start a meeting.” It will give you the meeting ID, which you can pass out to your friends and family. 
 
One important thing: if you are in a Zoom meeting with many people, such as a church group, it is polite to keep your audio muted at all times. Only unmute it when you are ready to speak, and mute yourself again once you are done. Otherwise, the background sounds in all of your homes will become overwhelming. To mute or unmute your audio, you need to click on the microphone button that says “mute.” It will always be in the bottom left corner, like so:
capture.png 
 

1. Facebook Messenger

Even though more people are using Zoom, Facebook Messenger truly is the easiest way to video chat online, as long as all participants have a Facebook account.
To video chat using Facebook Messenger on your computer, navigate to Facebook.com and open any message with the person you would like to talk to. Then, click the video camera button on the top right to start a video chat. It’s that easy, and it’s completely free!
capture1.png 
If you would like to use your phone instead, you will first need to download the free Facebook Messenger app from the app store (it’s different than the Facebook app!) Then, the process is the same. Open any message, tap the video camera icon on the top right, and start talking with that person easily!
capture2.png 

1. Skype

While Skype is no longer as popular as Zoom, it is still one of the most famous apps for connecting with loved ones online. Like the others, it is free. Unfortunately, it can be more difficult to use. The steps are all the same whether on your computer on your phone.
You will first need to download Skype from Skype.com. Then open the app and create a new Skype account using your email or phone number. After your account is created, Skype will assign you a Skype Name. You can view your Skype Name by clicking on the top left where your name is displayed. For example, if your name is Anna Davies, then your randomly assigned Skype Name might be anna.davies42 
If you know someone’s Skype Name, then you can look them up on Skype and start a video call. There is a search bar on the top left where you can input their special Skype Name
Once you have found your friend, you can add them to your contact list or call them by pressing the video camera button. Again, Skype can be a bit overwhelming if it is your first time. Luckily, there are lots of excellent resources to get you started. We suggest this short informative video.
 
4. Video Chat on Your iPhone
Did you know that you can video chat for free on all Apple phones? It’s true! The downside is that all participants must be using an Apple product, because Apple phones can only video chat with Apple phones. There are many advantages to using your phone for video chat, such as the fact that many cell providers, like Verizon, give senior discounts on phone plans. 
Simply navigate to the app store download the free app called “FaceTime.” Then, open FaceTime and dial the other person’s phone number. When they pick up, you will immediately begin your free high-quality video chat. FaceTime uses WiFi and is a wonderful way to virtually visit your grandchildren during quarantine. Best of all, the app works on all Apple products, including iPads. 
 
Even though the coronavirus is working hard to make us fearful and isolated , we are truly blessed to have a tool like the Internet to keep us connected. Don’t let inexperience with technology keep you from seeing your loved ones. Nowadays, there are many options to choose from. Try any of these four methods to figure out what works for you, and enjoy socializing from the comfort and safety of your own home.

www.walmart.com
​The world doesn’t stop turning just because there is a pandemic, and it can make grocery shopping extremely stressful. Especially for seniors and those with pre-existing conditions, it is important to continue social distancing, which can be difficult if the pantry is running low. Here are some options that seniors are using to do their shopping safely.

1. Instacart   www.instacart.com

Instacart is a grocery shopping service where you can select your items and pay online for a personal shopper to retrieve your items and deliver them to your door. They are available at Walmart, HyVee,www.hyvee.com Target, Sam’s Club, and more. Because they’re not tied to any specific grocery store, they also offer options such as PetCo, which can be important if you are trying to feed a pet. Simply visit Instacart.com, input your zip code, and begin to shop. Remember that Instacart personal shoppers are essential service workers who are not often paid well, so tip generously!

1. Google Express www.express.google.com

Did you know that you can shop for your groceries on Google.com? Google Express partners with local retailers such as Walmart, Costco, and Target to offer nonperishable groceries such as snack foods, pantry essentials, and baking ingredients. Delivery options include same-day or two-day shipping, and shipping is typically free if you meet the cart minimums, which are usually between $25-$30. Visit Google.com/shopping to browse their options.
 
3. Store-specific Delivery Services
It is becoming more and more common for stores to offer grocery delivery and pickup. Hy-Vee and Safeway both allow you to shop online and either have the groceries delivered to your door or pick them up without having to go inside the store; unfortunately, this is only offered in large cities such as Omaha, Lincoln, and Sioux Falls.
Walmart’s online grocery shopping is extremely common, however, and is available at many rural locations. Simply select your grocery items online at Walmart.com and pay online with a credit card. Your cart must have a minimum of $30 in it. Some Walmarts offer delivery, but it is much more common to be able to pick up your pre-selected items in the parking lot. Best of all, Walmart offers this service for free, whereas most other grocery shopping services charge a fee.
 
4. Local Grocery Stores
Due to current safety concerns, many local groceries stores that have never offered grocery delivery are now taking delivery orders. In many local communities, grocery stores are taking credit card orders over the phone and are busy preparing orders for drop off and pick up.  Some local grocery stores deliver to more than one small town. Even if your local grocery store did not use to offer delivery, try calling them up and see what options they have now.
 
5. Local Churches
Though not “professional personal shoppers,” many local churches are currently rallying to make large shopping runs and deliver groceries to their communities. Try calling around to your local churches, whether you attend them or not, and ask if they have any grocery shopping resources. You’re likely to find someone who is willing to help.
 
As always, don’t be afraid to also reach out to friends, family, and neighbors if you are struggling with obtaining groceries in this time. Between these grocery delivery services and the communities around you, there are many ways to keep your kitchen stocked without violating social distancing measures.
By: Amy Jackson 

Social isolation pose health risks for the elderly.  These risks include stroke, cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, increased pain, and suicide. Loneliness is one major cause of depression among seniors. With the COVID-19 crisis more seniors are being isolated from their families and friends.  Seniors across the world are missing the human touch of a loved one.  Assisted livings and nursing homes are limiting visitors by following regulations posed by the CDC www.cdc.gov.  According to recent studies before the COVID-19 crisis, 24% of older adults in the United States or approximately 9 million people were isolated in areas, suburbs, rural communities, small towns. How do you know someone cares about you? This is a question that has changed drastically over the years.  Before cell phones, friends and family would use the landline to talk to their family and friends by phone, a neighbor would walk across the street to deliver fresh baked cookies, or stop over to check up on a friend.  In the age of social media we are missing the good stuff.  Remember when someone would ring your door bell? Someone other than the delivery man? Social isolation effects both mental and physical abilities.  Although it's great to see family or friends place their hand on the window outside of a resident's home to say hi, what will happen when COVID-19 leaves? Will the elderly be left isolated again? Dementia follows loneliness.  Perception, and decline in mental capacity, impacts daily living skills, bathing, driving, caring for your needs, housekeeping, and cooking meals. Social isolation makes seniors more vulnerable to abuse. 

Anytime is a good time to reach out and let your family or friend know you care.  Make a phone call, send a letter, schedule a lunch date, take a walk, make a meal, spend leisure time together.  Ask what you can do.  Our friends were there for us, now it's our time to be there for them.  Ask if you can provide transportation to a doctors appointment, give your time, be a mentor or tutor of technology, and keep the elderly engaged.