Technology is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? As the continued spread of COVID-19 impacts traditions and celebrations, Americans are relying on their phones and laptops now more than ever to stay connected with loved ones. And that’s important—according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social isolation significantly increases the risk of anxiety, depression, dementia, and premature death from all causes. In older adults, the health risks associated with loneliness are even believed to rival those of smoking and obesity!
If you’ve grown tired of staying in touch with loved ones through uninspiring text messages or phone calls, there are several fun apps that can help keep you connected while social distancing. Here are five particularly popular apps that your friends and family are sure to enjoy:
Zoom
Yes, this one is obvious, but there’s a reason why so many people love Zoom. This user-friendly app allows you to speak “face-to-face” with multiple loved ones through high-quality video and audio. Up to 49 participants can join in on a Zoom video chat, allowing you to host a virtual family dinner or game night. Other popular video chat platforms include Houseparty, Skype, and Facetime.
QuizUp
Give your quarantined brain a workout while challenging loved ones to entertaining trivia games with QuizUp. Choose from an endless array of topics and see how your trivia knowledge stacks up against that of your friends and family members. As COVID-19 continues to bombard our news feeds, QuizUp offers a fun way to focus on other subjects and learn something new.
Bunch
Bunch combines what we love about Zoom and QuizUp to provide a video chat platform for multiplayer games. Catch up with your loved ones while playing virtual pool, Uno, and countless other classic activities. It also works with popular games like Among Us, Mars Dash, and Crazy Cards.
Teleparty
Host socially distanced movie nights with Teleparty (formerly known as Netflix Party). This free browser extension allows you to group chat with friends and family while simultaneously watching your favorite movies and shows on Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO, and Hulu.
Caribu
This one’s for the kids! Being away from classmates isn’t easy, but Caribu allows kids to virtually play games, make art, and read books with friends and family members from the safety of home. Using this app is a great way for grandparents to catch up with their grandkids or for best buddies to simply enjoy being kids again.
Staying Healthy and Happy During COVID-19
At DispatchHealth, we know firsthand how detrimental social isolation can be to a person’s overall well-being. Prolonged feelings of loneliness can even negatively impact sleeping habits and worsen serious chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes.
If you or a loved one needs medical care but doesn’t want to contend with crowded, germ-filled waiting rooms, DispatchHealth is here to help. Our fully equipped medical teams bring the doctor’s office to our patients’ doorsteps. To request in-home medical care, simply get in touch. We also have an easy-to-use app our very own that will allow you to request care with a click of a button.
Sources
DispatchHealth relies only on authoritative sources, including medical associations, research institutions, and peer-reviewed medical studies.
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