Think back to last year’s family reunion. What was the part you enjoyed the most? Although holiday meals, home decorations, and gifts might come to mind, more likely the best part of the gathering was a connection you made or reëstablished with a family member. Where food, décor, and presents have to travel the miles before they will make it to your door, family connections can still take place this year through a virtual platform.
Videoconferencing technology has improved rapidly, and this year many of us have become familiar with just how useful it can be. Whether for work, school, or social events, these interfaces make it possible to meet with others around the world, and some of us use them every day.
However, some in your family might be less familiar with the virtual platform, and it is possible that some people have never used them at all. Let’s consider some important tips to make your virtual family reunion a success for each person involved.
Tips for Children
If you have children involved in your virtual gathering, you will likely want to find ways to engage for brief amounts of time. Try giving each child a chance to say hello, and you might want to ask a leading question to make it easier.
Although jumping on the call for a moment might be fun, many kids lose steam with the platform, particularly after they have been videoconferencing for school this year. After saying hello, you might want to give children in the family a shared game or task to complete and then share with the family, such as to draw a picture of the family together next year.
Tips for Adults
Some adults in your family may have become lax about the considerations that make virtual meetings enjoyable for everyone. Keeping ample lighting helps us see expressions and mouth movements, which are particularly helpful if the connection is unstable or audio is delayed. Pressing “mute” while not speaking eliminates background noise from the audio connection, providing a clear channel for the person talking.
You might also want to set an expectation for how long you will be talking and what kind of activities might take place during the call. If you want to play a game through the virtual interface, take some time to think through the technical needs and the benefits of one game over another. Communicating prior to the event is the best way to make sure everyone is engaged and enjoying their time.
Tips for Those with Hearing Loss
If you have family members with hearing loss, there are a few steps you can take to make the virtual meeting more enjoyable. Particularly for those who are not familiar with the interface, the meeting can be a source of anxiety, so you might want to set up a practice call before the big event.
During that trial run, you can help your family member set up the right audio and video environment, full of ample lighting and volume near the Wi-Fi router. Some platforms offer real-time captioning for those who are hard of hearing. While none have perfect accuracy, they are useful to fill in the gaps in hearing, particularly when the audio channel itself is unstable via the platform.
Third-party providers can offer captioning in many cases when the platform itself does not. You can even set up a dual monitor system with one screen showing the faces of speakers and another screen or smartphone performing the captioning.
Although these tips are important to consider for accommodating those with hearing loss in your family during this virtual reunion, the only durable solution for hearing loss is treatment provided by a hearing health professional.
If your family member has not had a hearing test, the time is now to make the appointment and receive diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Hearing aids are remarkably effective for virtual meetings, but they will continue to perform their assistive function when in-person gatherings resume once again. Why not encourage your loved ones to embark on the path toward hearing loss treatment so that they can engage more fully during next year’s family reunion? The benefits will extend far beyond the era of virtual gatherings!