Helping your referral sources, patients and staff deal with caregiver burn-out during the holiday season is a way of developing relationship equity with these key groups you work with. Below is a holiday communication I sent out to many groups and families my Personal Care Home Care Company, Homewatch CareGivers works with. Please feel free to use this piece for groups and people you work with.

The holiday season creates a tremendous amount of stress, anxiety and depression for many people caring for aging or sick loved ones. Instead of letting all the extra dos, obligations and the accompanying stress ruin a time meant to be enjoyed with family and friends, try these 10 stress-busting tips!

1.  Recognize the signs of stress and burnout – As caregivers, we give and give and give some more, and during the holiday season we give even more! All that giving can add up to high stress levels or even full-on burnout that creeps up on you before you even know it. It is important you recognize your stress points and trigger and be proactive in addressing them. During the holidays, ask a loved one or close friend to keep an eye on you and let you know if they see the “tipping” point arriving.
2. Be flexible and adaptable – The holidays are immersed in personal, work, family and religious traditions. Maintaining those obligations and responsibilities for family caregivers, who are often the adult children of aging parents can put you over the top! As a family, ask yourself, “What is important to continue and what can we adapt or let go of?’” The past doesn’t equal the future!
3. Mind your own mind-set – Stay focus in the present!! Acknowledge all your emotions, including fears, frustrations and sadness, during the holidays. All those emotions are perfectly normal. Try to stay mindful, concentrating on what you are doing in any given moment, rather than letting your mind wander to your ever growing to-do list. Stay focused on the positives! Think about what you can accomplish instead of what you can’t; celebrate what your loved ones can do, rather than mourning what they can no longer participate in!!
4. Keep self-care at the top of the list – You hear it every year– don’t over-eat during the holidays and keep exercising. That’s easier said than done, for sure. It’s easy to let this slip when you’re even busier than usual and under stress. Try and keep it simple and incorporate it into your daily caregiving routine if possible.
   For example: Make time for exercise; it can boost your mood. Even something as simple as walking in a shopping mall, dancing to holiday music, or stretching or doing jumping jacks while watching holiday movies can help. Know your own best stress outlets! Only you know what works best for you as a stress reliever.
5. Get the support you need – With everyone so busy during the holiday season, online message boards or groups can be a convenient way to seek support. And don’t forget professional help from a counselor or therapist. Give yourself a holiday gift and hire a caregiver to help you out through the holiday season.
6. Perfection if the enemy of good – Have a good holiday season!! Perfection is not the goal of the holidays — joy is! Cramming more into your already crazy schedule can push you over the edge, so consider what is really doable before you commit. Remember, you’ll be happier if you can go with the flow and expect the inevitable delay, crisis or disappointment. Above all, making good memories with your loved ones is especially valuable at this time.
7. Simplify your holiday – Many of us love to go overboard for the holidays!! Talk about adding stress to your life! It will be far less stressful if you can scale back and find a way to simplify while still enjoying the spirit of the season. You could choose just a few decorations or foods that are most significant to you and feel doable, or cut back to two or three holiday activities that fill your heart with joy. Set limits and you’ll be OK.
8. Celebrate Something New! – Create your own holiday spirit. Instead of focusing on what you’re not doing, try doing something new. If cooking holiday meals is too much for you, eat out or order a prepared meal to have at home to give you more time with family and less time cleaning up. Give yourself the gift of time or attention rather than costly presents. Attend a holiday concert or community event you’ve never gone to before.
9. Give yourself credit – It is important to recognize your accomplishments during each and every day. This can mean taking five minutes at bed time to recount all that you did during the day, or it can be positive affirmation after each activity.
10. Give Yourself a Holiday Gift – Don’t forget to give yourself a holiday gift!! It is important to “splurge” once in a while by doing nothing, reading a book, having dinner, get a 90-minute massage, taking a walk, going to a movie, etc. — anything that will focus on you as the caregiver.

The Best!