This presentation is designed to provide helpful tips for dealing with stresses associated with the holidays. It is applicable to everyone, although it was designed primarily as a resource for chaplain usage in a long-term care environment.

1. Coping with Holiday Stress
A Guide for Residents and Stakeholders
Rev. David Eisenmenger
Director of Education, Research and Programming
Signature HealthCARE, LLC
Rev. Beth Causey

2. How Do You View the Holidays?
• Childlike Excitement? • Complete Dread?

3. Our Residents, Elders, and
Stakeholders often experience a
sense of loss and longing during
the Holidays

4. Often the holidays become a time of:
• Depression
• Grief
• Sense of not belonging
• Reflection on the value of life itself

5. Residents and Depression
• Some major factors contributing to holiday
depression in the elderly are:
‒ Financial limitations
‒ Loss of independence
‒ Being alone or separated from loved ones
‒ Failing eyesight (and lessening of the ability to write
or read holiday correspondence)
‒ Loss of mobility

6. Triggers for Depression
• It doesn’t take much to bring back a rush of
holiday memories. For example:
‒ The smell of cinnamon-scented pine cones
‒ Bing Crosby crooning “I’m dreaming of a White
Christmas”
‒ Old family photos
‒ A fresh-cut wreath

7. Seasonal Issues & Mental Health
• Stress is high during the holidays
• 41% of people rate the holidays as stressful as
asking for a raise
• 34% rate financial stress highest
• Post Holiday Let Down
• Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Exacerbation of pre-existing symptoms can occur

8. What does Holiday stress
look like?

9. Physical Signs and Symptoms of Stress
• Headaches
• Body aches and pains
• Fatigue
• Agitation/restlessness
• Insomnia
• Heartburn/digestive problems
• Clenching

10. Cognitive/Emotional Signs and
Symptoms
• Irritability
• Sadness/Crying
• Hopelessness/Helplessness
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Poor Concentration
• Memory problems

11. What’s the source of Holiday
Stress?
• Loneliness
– Triggered by the inability to be with family
• Coping with loss
• Idealistic views of holidays
• Sense of cynicism

12. For Caregivers Daily Hassles Don’t Stop
for the Holidays
• Financial worries
• Time pressure
• Disruptions of schedule
• Work stress
• Overstuffed schedules

13. Interpersonal/Relationship Factors that
Increase Stress
• Loneliness or isolation
• Dealing with loss
• Disappointments
• Crowds
• Communication break downs
• Family Issues
• Traveling
• Memories of holidays past – good or bad

14. How do you know when you’re
stressing?
• Is your mood or feelings of stress impacting
those around you?
– At work?
– At home?

15. Ways to Deal with Your Stress
• Deal with stress early
• Self care/recognizing our own stress
responses
• Coping skills
– Physical
– Cognitive/Emotional
– Behavioral

16. Ways to help Residents Deal With
Their Stress
• Take time to listen
• Utilize your Chaplain & Social Worker
• Don’t force participation in holiday
celebrations

17. Ways to help Residents Deal With
Their Stress
• Provide resident the opportunity to give:
– Gifts of sentiment or appreciation
– “Thanks for being you!”
• Help Residents manage their own expectations
of their family
• Rather than trying to fix
– Just let them know how much you care

18. Spirituality and the Holidays
• Holidays a time of reminiscence
• Spirituality can be comfort and strength
• Encourage residents to have contact with their
chaplain

19. Physical Coping Skills
• Maintain health
• Healthy eating habits
• Healthy sleeping habits
• Learn to read your body’s signs
• Exercise
• Get some sunlight

20. Cognitive/Emotional Coping Skills
• Be aware of and change expectations
‒ expect the unexpected
‒ define “success”
‒ avoid unrealistic expectations
• Acknowledge feelings and share
‒ Especially sadness & grief
• Problem solve
‒ Is this something I can change?
‒ If so, how?
‒ If not, how can I accept this or make sense of it in my life?

21. Cognitive/Emotional Coping
Skills
• Set limits
‒ time, money, personal
‒ don’t let others push you into doing or not doing something
‒ be ok with saying NO
• Renew spiritual beliefs
• Set differences aside, let go of past resentments & forgive
• Learn to laugh
• Spend time with nurturing, supportive people
• Get in touch with others who you miss and have drifted away
• Don’t focus on past holidays - nor focus on the uncertainty of the
upcoming experience

22. Behavioral Coping Skills
• Don’t over commit
• Balance obligations with fun
• Make life regular as clockwork
– set wake and sleep times
– specific recommendations for shift work
– recognize that Residents’ emotions may impact
your own

23. Behavioral Coping Skills
• Journal
• Talk to others – (chaplain, friends, spouse)
• Take a break
• Don’t overwork
• Make a list and prioritize
• Postpone any big moves or changes
• Set goals and problem solve

24. Behavioral Coping Skills
• Increase socializing or decrease socializing,
whichever recharges you best
• Plan fun activities
‒ try something new
‒ do something old
• Try new traditions &/or lose old, harmful ones
• Take time off to renew self
• Volunteer in a different environment

25. Shopping
• Know your triggers (shopping alone, shopping with
young kids, sales)
• Limit use of credit cards
• Repurpose gifts 
• Keep receipts – put in one spot
• Find holiday sales before you start shopping
• Research your items
• Shop clearance racks and discount stores
• Don’t wait until the last minute to shop (consider
starting DEC 26 for next year!

26. Gift Giving
• Don’t try to rationalize finding the perfect gift
– It will never be Enough
– It will never be Perfect
• Sometimes you just can’t find what you’re looking for
– Make it
– Draw names

27. Cooking
• Plan your menu early
• Shop from the ingredients list
• Solicit help
• Delegate minor tasks
• Pace yourself

28. Family Type
• Understand your family traditions
• Acceptance without:
– Shame
– Guilt
– Regret
• Learn to say “NO”
• Set boundaries or time limits instead of
getting overwhelmed

29. Strategies with Family
• Create new traditions with
family of choice.
• Maintain a good sense of
balance between self and
others
• Simplify life.
• Unplug electronics for specific
periods of time.
• Slow down.
• Be mindful of what you’re
thankful for.

30. Non Denominational Serenity
Prayer:
God grant me the serenity to ACCEPT the
things I cannot change, the COURAGE to
change the things I can, and the WISDOM
to know the difference.