All Media
All Media

Surviving the Holidays During the Pandemic

Categories: Being a Caregiver, COVID-19 Resources, Living with Brain Injury

With the holiday season upon us, many brain injury survivors, caregivers, and family members are facing more – and different – stress than normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This stimulation can cause increased panic, fear, and difficulty coping as we continue to navigate ways to stay safe. Below are some things you can do this holiday season to help you and your loved ones during these extraordinary times.

Planning Ahead: Creative Ways to Stay Connected

One thing to appreciate about these times is how normal it’s become to gather virtually with friends and family members. Before the pandemic, if someone couldn’t make it to a holiday gathering or family celebration, we just missed them. Now, family and friends make an effort to hop onto Zoom to catch up and check in on each other, even if there isn’t a big celebration on the calendar.

For the holidays, you can use Zoom to enjoy family dinners together, “hang-out” and watch movies with friends, cook a meal with a loved one who is far away, or celebrate a birthday. Your traditions don’t have to stop because of the dangers brought on by in-person gatherings.

Got Extra Time? Practice Self-Care

As we stay at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many of us have more time and space to care for ourselves. To reduce your anxiety and improve your mental health, try some of these suggestions:

  • Create a morning and nighttime routine. During this time, you can stretch, practice mindful breathing, meditate, journal, or simply think about some daily affirmations.
  • Create lists to help you stay on track. You can plan out your goals for the day or week, create a grocery list, or create a to-do list for the day.
  • Try to exercise each day. You don’t have to hit the gym or run a mile to feel accomplished – exercise can be achieved through yoga, taking a walk, or jump roping right in your living room.
  • Try to focus on one thing at a time. It can be overwhelming thinking about what might happen. Instead of thinking about long to-do lists and possible scenarios, try to relax and focus on one thing at a time.
  • Get additional rest. The pandemic has been exhausting for us all – both mentally and physically. Our worlds have shifted, and it takes emotional energy to cope with that. Be gentle with yourself and listen to your body when it tells you what it needs.
  • Ask for help when you need it. Asking for help is not easy, but it’s often necessary. Whether you are asking someone to pick up groceries for you, help you remember your telehealth appointment, or just provide a listening ear – know that it is OK. Now more than ever, we need each other. If you are a friend or loved one of a person with a brain injury, offer to help before you are asked.

In-Person Gatherings: CDC Guidelines

Celebrating virtually or with members of your household poses the lowest risk for spread. If you must gather in person, take steps to protect yourself from getting or spreading COVID-19 by following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Holiday Celebrations and Small Gatherings Guidelines. According to the CDC, the risk of COVID-19 spreading at events and gatherings increases as follows:

  • Lowest risk: Virtual-only activities, events, and gatherings.
  • More risk: Smaller outdoor gatherings in which individuals from different households remain spaced at least 6 feet apart, wear masks, do not share objects, and come from the same local area (e.g., community, town, city, or county).
  • Higher risk: Medium-sized in-person gatherings that are adapted to allow individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and with attendees coming from outside the local area.
  • Highest risk: Large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and where attendees travel from outside the local area.