Embracing the Holiday Season: Finding Joy and Connection Amidst the Blues with Vitalia Stow

For many, the holiday season is a joyful, happy time built around togetherness, family, and friends. Still, for some, it can be very stressful and filled with overwhelming expectations, depression, and anxiety. The holiday season can be a reminder of those who are not with us anymore, financial limitations, sadness from being separated from loved ones, and the loss of treasured traditions.

At Vitalia Stow, we understand celebrating this time of year doesn’t have to be sad or overwhelming. It can be a peaceful time of reminiscing, volunteering, spending time with friends, and creating new traditions!

Some common causes of depression during the holiday season are financial stress and loneliness. 

The signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress we should monitor for during the holiday season include:

• changes in appetite
• lack of energy
• changes in sleep patterns

To help residents eliminate the holiday blues, they could set a budget, start a new tradition, or become more involved with the community. Loneliness is one of the most common causes of depression in older adults during the holiday season. To help combat that, we offer different events and provide one-on-one time with our residents.

Our community encourages new and fulfilling traditions by asking residents what traditions they are used to doing for the holidays and incorporating some of them into the community.

The holiday season means different things to each of us. The holidays are about family, friends, food, and tradition. For many, the smells, tastes, and decorations bring memories flooding back. We hope some of these ideas will be helpful as the holidays approach.