Help seniors keep a positive attitude during the coronavirus

DON'T FORGET YOUR CARE CENTER'S STAFF Workers at nursing homes and assisted living centers are on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak, caring for your loved ones and their

own families every day. They can't work from home. You want to thank them for their care, and your loved one also might want to get in on the act. Talk together about what they might

want to give or what they see as a need for staff. Talk with staffers about what they need or are allowed to receive. Federal officials are telling employees in senior living communities not

to share pens and notepads. So a personal pen and pad that workers can keep in their pockets might be welcome. Bulk personalized pens can be ordered online in quantities of as few as a

dozen. Or think beyond the traditional baked goods and candy to items that are individually wrapped and can last a while: clementines or oranges, healthy snacks like nuts, instant drink or

vitamin C packets to add to water, sugar-free gum and tea bags. Staff also might appreciate bath bombs, hand soaps or lip balm for self-care; eyeglass or screen cleaners; little flashlights;

tote bags; or water bottles. Some places allow staff members to accept gift cards in small amounts or low-dollar scratch-off lottery tickets. But sometimes the most cherished thank-you is a

personalized handwritten note, and make sure to send a copy to their supervisors. If you and your loved one decide on a selection of items, loading them into individual plastic zipper bags

can keep them safer from germs. If you drop by on a weekend, know that many centers give their workers every other weekend off, so you might catch only half the staff.