Family Used Tech to Connect During Grandmother’s Final Days

Why this is here: Family members held novenas via Zoom, allowing relatives in the Philippines and across the United States to participate despite time zone differences.

The author’s family in the Philippines and the United States used smartphones, messaging apps, and Zoom to connect after the death of their grandmother, Leticia. She passed away on May 11 at age 97. Family members received immediate notification via text and calls, then shared a memorial photo created in Canva online.

The family held nightly novenas via Zoom for nine days, accommodating time zone differences. They played a recording of the grandmother’s husband singing a love song and shared photos during the virtual gatherings. The author reflects on how technology helped maintain family connections across distances during this time.

This experience prompts the author to consider future technologies and how they might help maintain bonds as they age. The author hopes to share life lessons with future generations, just as their grandmother shared sewing skills.

The author acknowledges the potential for a return to simpler skills alongside technological advancements, imagining a future generation of “socks-to-ragmakers.”