Life for a chronically ill/disabled person can be extremely lonely, especially if you are like myself and spend the majority of your life at home, stuck indoors. Of course the last 18 months or so, the world has become more accessible online with many an activity just a few clicks of a button or touch screen away.

The thing is whilst the world may be opening back up to various degrees, for many of of us who are chronically ill/disabled, nothing changes. Outdoor socialising isn’t an easy feat, and a lot of the time isn’t practical due to symptoms and trying to stay safe in current times.

In one of my posts a few weeks ago, I touched upon the use of interactive online activities as a source of meeting new people and staying connected and today I wanted to share my top activities to do online.

Before we continue though I have to say since deciding to write this blog post a few weeks ago, I am rather disappointed to see how many activities which were online through lockdown, have been dramatically dropped and replaced in favour of real-life meets. Yet again that chance to make the world more accessible seems to have missed it’s mark and as a result chronically ill/disabled people are missing out.

Nevertheless, there are online activities out there – they just take some finding and a lot of patience! As well as some basic online searches I would also recommend looking through your local libraries, (I am really happy to see that my local one has kept up it’s online groups to support the most vulnerable in the community), and through resources such as EventBrite. If there are any online things you were part of before, or were something you would of be interested in, that have now disappeared – why not reach out and ask why? Whether they get them up and running again is one thing, but at least you can make them think about accessibility and the importance for everyone to be included.

Online Activity 1 – Support Groups

Depending on your specific condition and the advice you have access to, you may find specific charities or online communities now run online zoom support groups. This can be a great way to connect with people who have the same or similar conditions as you, and provide a network of people experiencing the same struggles (and of course triumphs).

If a group scenario is not your thing, remember there may always be an option of 1:1 sessions, or if you need support with your mental health online professional counselling could be a great alternative.

If you can’t find support groups in your specific condition, you could always reach out to charities directly and ask if they offer such services, or know of anywhere else that does. Still no luck? Why not reach out to others on social media who you may have made connections with and see if it would be something they would be interested in. It doesn’t even need to be in a speaking capacity – it could simply be making a time when you are online at the same time to swap messages and make meaningful connections. Please remember though never give out your personal details to strangers – even ones that appear friendly on the surface!

Online Activity 2 – Hobby Based Groups

We all have a hobby of some sorts no matter how obscure it may seem, and now with the use of online communications you can take part in them from the comfort of your own home, with some much appreciated company and helpful tips. Hobby groups can include:

• Book clubs
• Photography
• Crafting
• Gardening
• Singing (with the sound off if preferred!) etc…

Online Activity 3 – Presentations, Lectures and Talks

Now I know that sitting and listening to somebody talking is a sure fire way of having some level of fatigue, but if it is something that interests you it may be more tolerable. Watching real-time lectures and talks can actually be a really good way of feeling connected especially if there is a way of asking questions at the end.

If it is too much however, remember that most of these things are recorded for you to view at a later date which would be more convenient in line with your symptoms and energy levels.

Talks could be about a variety of different topics including:

• Travel – Discovering new places around the world from your sofa
• Art – If you are an art fan like myself there are many online events/lectures provided through art gallery websites around a certain theme or painting
• Disability/Chronic Illness
• Study/Career Focused

Online Activity 4 – Quizzing

I am not much of a quizzer, but I do think quizzing is a great way of keeping our minds active and can be a great source of interaction. This can take place in the form of online board games playing against others, interactive pub quizzes or holiday themed challenges.

Online Activity 5 – Meditation/Mindfulness

Although meditation and mindfulness are very much solo events, you may find being in an -albeit quiet – group beneficial. This is because it can help to give you focus and motivation which you may lack trying to do it on your own. It can be especially helpful if the sessions are guided as it will help to focus the mind more easily and perhaps encourage discussion afterwards.

Here we have it my top picks for online interactive activities. On a slightly separate note I wanted to point out as an introvert, I really struggle engaging with others because of certain personality traits. This is only made harder by my chronic illnesses and the symptoms they bring. However the beauty of online engagement is I can be as present as I choose to be. Being online you can pick events that match your individual preferences with little interaction, you can turn off the audio or the picture if you don’t want to participate, and to be quite frank you can exit stage left if it gets too much. The point is it is an option if you need one.

What online activities do you like to participate in? Are they certain ones you would like to do, but haven’t found? Are there ones you would like to recommend or maybe you run an online group yourself and would like to share some details? Chronic friendly ideas would be much appreciated.

Sarah xx