Staying connected?

It is very unusual for us all to be asked to stay at home and avoid contact with our friends and family. Some people may be feeling particularly lonely or isolated, even if this is not a feeling you’ve experienced before.

• Keeping connected is very important. We all rely on social networks to maintain good well-being and this is just as important now as ever. By sharing your experiences with those you trust, you can also end up supporting each other and reducing worry and anxiety. 
• You may need to do things differently. Millions of people are now connecting online, whether by social media, video conference, email or on the telephone.
• There are community groups and other support that everyone can access. Being part of or helping out at a community group can help you feel better as well providing others with support at a time of need.

Keeping connected

At times of stress, it’s important to draw on your support network – this could be your family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues or your wider community. This is even more important if you need to self-isolate. Here are a few ideas that may help you do this:

• Agree how you want to stay in touch with each other, whether it’s through a weekly Skype call or via text messages.
• Build keeping in touch into your routine. For example, you could set up a weekly “virtual coffee” video chat with someone you’d normally see in person.
• Sharing accurate information from trusted sources can help others feel less stressed and help you connect with them. 
• You may need extra support at some point, so think about who you could talk to. There are a number of helplines you could use, if you can’t talk to someone you know. 

Living with others

In our normal day to day home environment, we are usually able to give each other space, for example by going out to school, work or taking part in hobbies. Staying at home means that our daily routines are disrupted and we will see others in our household much more often. Agreeing to a routine, which everyone has a say in, and respecting each other’s privacy, could help to rebuild your daily routine, as well as give you back some of the space you are used to.   

Digital skills

If you’re new to connecting virtually, you could use the Learn My Way free courses to improve your digital skills. The course has a specific section here designed to make sure you’re confident with everything you might need to do on the internet, including online shopping and social media.

You can also find a step-by-step guide on how to video call your family here.

Supporting your community

There are still many ways to volunteer while you are staying at home, for example through befriending people over the phone. You can find further ways to help at Volunteering Wales.

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