The festive season can be a time when many people are able to have a break and enjoy themselves, but if you are caring for someone, it may be a different experience. You may have more family and friends around to offer some support but you and the person you care for could also face a range of different challenges such as:
- Not being able get a break from your caring role due to a change in the opening hours and availability of the services you use.
- Finding it difficult to spend time with friends and family due to the needs of the person you care for, or your caring responsibilities.
- Feeling added pressure from the festive period itself. These may include financial pressures, feeling people are not understanding your needs, or even being more lonely than usual.
There are some steps you can take to help with this
Try and plan ahead as much as you can
Thinking ahead and planning can make life easier for both you and the person you care for. It can also help other people you may be spending time with. This can be especially useful if the person you care for needs routine or finds benefit from knowing what is happening.
You will want to make sure you’ve got all the medication needed to see you through to the New Year. You can also plan ahead by talking to family and friends about your plans, raising any worries or concerns you have with them. This helps manage their expectations and be realistic about what is possible for you and the person you care for.
Have an Emergency plan in place
Having an emergency plan is important at all times of the year but as a number of services are running at reduced staffing levels during the festive period it is even more useful. The plan outlines what to do should anything happen to and you and you find you cannot carry out your caring role. If you do not have an emergency plan in place you can contact Suffolk Family Carers and we can help.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
As a family carer it’s important you try and get a rest over the festive period too. If you’ve got friends and family that can help, even for a couple of hours, don’t be afraid to ask. People may not be aware of what is involved in your caring role or its demands until you explain the situation to them, especially if they have not seen you or the person you care for recently.
Take care of your own mental health and wellbeing
Winter generally can be demanding and you may benefit from support with your mental health or from accessing support for the person you care for You may want to read our article on Caring & Coping in the Winter Months.
For urgent help with mental health call the NHS on 111. You can also talk to the Samaritans anytime on 116 123. Their support is not just for those who are feeling suicidal.
Get a break, if you can
If you haven’t got anyone who can help you may want to consider using a replacement care service so you can get a break. If it’s not possible for you to get a break you may be able to get comfort and support by talking to other family carers in the same situation. One way to do this is online groups and forums.
Stay warm
The NHS advises that when the weather drops below 8°C, some people may be at increased risk of physical and mental health conditions.These include heart attack, stroke, pneumonia and depression.
Check opening hours
Try and find out what services will be available if you think you may possibly need to use any. You can contact them or look at their website to find festive opening hours. You may also want to think about pharmacies and GPs surgery opening times. Suffolk Family Carers will be open throughout the festive period but our hours will be reduced.
