Christmas
Christmas Home Rituals Isolation Sadness Together Missing Altogether Soon
Christmas feels so different this year and for so many it is hard! Being alone on Christmas day seems to have a weight greater than other days. Remembering a loved one we have lost at Christmas seems to hurt more than other days of the year. Christmas evokes a multitude of emotions from love, laughter and joy to sorrow, sadness and despair.
This will be the first year where many families, who normally all join together, will be apart. This is likely to be the year many older relatives will be home alone. Phone calls will be made, Zoom calls shared and I hear the echo of:
“Oh I am all right, I will see you all very soon”
Is it all right?
Is it all right? It is a Christmas filled with empty chairs, no hugging and a quiet in the air. I will not see my Mum and this is likely to be her last Christmas and this breaks my heart. Covid, Christmas and Dementia creates a dangerous cocktail and the risks are too great to go and visit her. This is true of so many and my heart goes out to those of you who are not able to share this Christmas with the ones who for so many years of our life made them magical and special.
Resilience and Support
Life can be tough and life can throw curve balls at us when we least expect and those curve balls, so often unwelcome, lead us to dig deep for resilience as we seek out our personal coping mechanism. If you are struggling this Christmas please reach out for support. There are many wonderful people out there who want to help, here are a few:
- Age UK: Provide free information and advice to help on topics such as claiming benefits and are there for every older person. Phone: 0800 169 2081. Website: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/
- Anxiety UK: Charity providing support if you have been diagnosed with an anxiety condition. Phone: 03444 775 774 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 10pm; Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 8pm). Website: https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/
- Alzheimer’s Society: Provides information on dementia, including factsheets and helplines. Phone: 0333 150 3456 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm and 10am to 4pm on weekends). Website: www.alzheimers.org.uk
- Bereavement – Cruse Bereavement Care: Phone: 0808 808 1677 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). Website: www.cruse.org.uk
- Dementia UK – Telephone or email advice and support for family carers, people with dementia and professionals provided by experienced Admiral nurses. Phone: 0800 888 6678
- Samaritans: Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline). Website: https://www.samaritans.org/
- Silver Line: Confidential helpline for people over 55 across the UK – Phone: 0800 470 8090. Website: https://www.thesilverline.org.uk/https://www.thesilverline.org.uk/
I am also here to support you.
Take lots of care this Christmas and please remember to reach out for support if you can.
Wishing you a Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year.
Shared by your local Counsellor in Fleet, Caroline at Caroline Ellison Counselling – this is my experience and these are my opinions. Carpe Diem.