Trying to stay in touch with family (especially the grandchildren) has always been challenging. Improvements in technology are changing how seniors communicate and stay better connected to family and friends.

The small, portable cellphone has replaced the heavy, wall-connected handset for calling and chatting, and with new applications we can see distant family members and loved ones as well as hear them. Here are some popular tools to visit with video:

Facetime: Developed by Apple to do video and audio calls. Can be used on all Apple products.

Skype: Free video chats, messaging, and affordable international calls. It is web based and does not need to be downloaded.

Google Meet: Video calling app that is downloadable to your mobile devices or laptops.