The Voice of Older People Online – www.greysnet.com – was launched with the support of the National Lottery Community Fund to help older people all over the country to stay connected and keep mind and body active during the current Coronavirus lockdown. It is a dedicated online space where older people can chat with one another through a public forum, and find out about all sorts of events and activities they can get involved in while self-isolating.
The u3a Trust has a useful page of “Ideas to Keep Learning” at: https://www.u3a.org.uk/component/content/article/197-covid-19/562-u3a-keeping-active-and-connected
It also has a page, “Keeping in Touch”, which is aimed mainly at group activities, but includes some useful ideas about keeping in touch with people without internet access, at: https://www.u3a.org.uk/component/content/article/197-covid-19/556-keeping-in-touch
Other resources are:
A private Facebook group "u3as based in Scotland" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2679956865626999/. Any member can ask to join
A UK wide Facebook group “u3a: Keeping in touch” at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2833125070105668/
This is also private, but it already has well over a thousand members, and therefore very frequent posts with individual reactions and ideas from around the country.
On the National u3a Youtube channel you can see members talking about how to "Do Something Brilliant Today"
Writers Against Covid-19 “Like so many who belong to the U3A, I live alone and when asked by the government to stay at home soon felt depressed, lonely and cut off from society. I realised I was not alone, so I decided to start WAC-19. Each day, I publish a new short story on the website, stories that are selected to bring a smile to readers' faces and lift the spirits. I am a member of the U3A and know how difficult it is that all the groups have ceased their activities. I hope you and your members enjoy the stories, which can be found on www.louisemoss.com.”
Members of the Local History group are currently sharing items of interest that they come across. Below is a selection that other U3A members might enjoy:
TV programme of film clips about life in the past in Scotland - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047lx52
TV programme on 1959: The Coast of Clyde - https://vimeo.com/7631946
An excellent article by Canadian historian, Margaret Macmillan - https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/margaret-macmillan-black-death-covid-19-lessons-history
Some useful links courtesy of B & M U3A IT Group
How to group video call on WhatsApp:
https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/mobile-phone
12 Video Chat Apps with pros and Cons to Know about:
https://deafniche.com/12-video-chat-apps-to-know-about
Pros and Cons of Zoom - Trust Radius:
https://www.trustradius.com/products/zoom/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons
Tech Tips and advice during lockdown: https://inews.co.uk/news/tech-tips-advice-coronavirus-lockdown-joe-wicks-workouts-fitness-keeping-in-touch-covid-19-outbreak-2524644
Other interesting links:
https://www.facebook.com/GlasgowCityArchives
https://u3asites.org.uk/glasgow-west-end/page/84166
Information about how Glasgow City Council's full range of services, from bins and recycling to social care and health, are affected can be found at:
https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/coronavirus
For some additional support, help and/or advice for you or for someone you know, Ready Scotland has a list on its web site:
https://www.readyscotland.org/coronavirus/where-to-find-additional-support
There is a useful social networking service for neighbourhoods. Once you register and input your post code, it will select the appropriate area. Among the various services it platforms, it allows people to register to provide help for people in their neighbourhood and also people requiring help can ask for assistance e.g. to collect prescriptions, shopping, etc..
www.nextdoor.co.uk