Technology can enhance communication and connection, as audiologists and SLPs well know. Here are some tips for a successful virtual holiday gathering:

Set expectations. Agree to certain parameters in advance, such as what time you’ll start and how long you’ll stay online together. Video calls can tire people out faster than in-person gatherings, especially young children or people with communication disorders. Understanding timing can help reduce stress and conflict—allowing everyone to enjoy one another’s company.

Plan conversation-starters or games to keep everyone involved. Designate one person to prepare conversation-starters (Family Dinner Project provides great suggestions). Other ideas include a word game (such as Table Talk or Madlibs), a virtual scavenger hunt—find your favorite family photo and show it to everyone—or a family trivia game (people can use the “raise hand” or “like” features within virtual platforms to answer questions or use free tools like Kahoot). 

Keep important traditions alive. Tweak special customs for virtual settings. For example, rather than going around the table and asking what each person is thankful for, collect responses ahead of time in a gratefulness jar to read out loud. Or do a show and tell—bring an item representing what you’re thankful for this year. This might allow for more creativity.

Accommodate family members with different communication needs. Many older adults have some degree of hearing loss—consider modifications to help them stay engaged. For example, seating them closer to the computer or speakers, turning on closed-captioning, and projecting your meeting on a larger screen to allow better access to visual cues—such as seeing speakers’ facial expressions—can all make a world of difference. In addition, online meetings might feel long, overstimulating, or otherwise challenging for children with autism, ADHD, or a speech or language disorder.

Communicate respectfully. Give everyone a chance to speak, try not to talk over others, and limit side conversations during your gathering. This might be more difficult with everyone in different locations but doing so will make the experience better for everyone.

While this will be the most high-tech holiday season yet, families don’t need to go overboard on device use at the dinner table. Stash away individual phones and tablets for the meal so they don’t distract from the main gathering.

By: Diane Paul, Regina Escano Zappi