Keeping up with the grandkids
How are our community seniors maintaining their connection to family during COVID-19 times?
A typical week in the life of retirees Eva and Harry Kalinski would be filled with Shabbat dinners, regular phone calls and movie dates with family, as well as the occasional backyard barbeque.
With Melbourne subjected to on-and-off-again lockdown restrictions, cooking big meals has been swapped for catchups over various mobile apps.
“While we’ve found it surprisingly difficult to organise times for everyone to have bigger group chats on FaceTime, and we sometimes find it hard to get the technology working by ourselves, the technology has also given more opportunities to send each other memes and funny videos through WhatsApp, which gives us all the daily laughter we need,” said the Kalinskis.
Miriam Bergman, a retired optometrist, also shares the frustrations of losing time and experiences with her grandchildren, especially the opportunity to take them out for meals, attend shows and play games with the younger grandchildren. “I miss the close physical contact of hugs and kisses, and seeing their happy faces brighten me up. I get a bit lonely by myself and I miss seeing everyone, but I’m glad I get to talk to them on the phone and sometimes we Zoom together,” she said. “I love seeing and listening to them all joking and teasing each other, hearing their conversations and watching them all interact together.”
To keep on top of her fitness while staying connected to her family, Bergman also goes for regular walks with her grandchildren, and even joins in on the occasional dance or Zumba classes via Zoom.
In a similar fashion, the Kalinskis have committed to daily walks and eating as healthily as possible. “When you’re home all day it’s rather hard to stop yourself from snacking quite often,” said Eva. Bergman’s plans for post-lockdown include a family getaway to the seaside to commemorate her 80th birthday this year, and eventually meeting her great grandchildren who live overseas.
Eva and Harry also have their sights set on resuming big Shabbat dinners. “We have taken these things for granted and will be even more thankful for these special times once we can partake in them again,” Eva said.
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