Christmas is well and truly upon us! While the festive period can be a time of celebration for many, it can bring about its challenges too. Here are our tips for a happy and healthy Christmas time.

1. Check in with your service providers – way before the festivities are upon us, confirm with each of your service providers whether or not the Christmas period will impact the services they provide you. For example, will your usual support worker be taking time off? Or will your plan manager still pay invoices over the Christmas period?
2. Make sure your health needs are covered – similarly, have a think about how your health needs will be met over the Christmas period. Consider the health services that you rely on like your GP and your pharmacy and whether you need to plan ahead. For example, do you need to pick up medication to last over the Christmas break, if your pharmacy is closed?
3. Maintain a routine – if your regular routine is disrupted and you like to have a routine in place, have a think about whether there are any switches that you can make to help maintain a sense of regularity. For example, if you usually attend an OT appointment on a Wednesday morning are there some OT exercises that you can do at home instead?
4. Be honest with yourself and others – if you are finding the festive season overwhelmingly be honest with yourself about how you are feeling and explain this to those around you. At this time of year, even a trip to the shops can be a lot, so if you need to rain check on the shopping, that’s ok!
5. Be kind to yourself – Christmas time can be tough for many. It is not uncommon for people to feel lonely, stressed or anxious at this time of year. If you would like to talk to someone, reach out to any of the support services that we’ve listed below.

Support Service Available

Lifeline: 13 11 14

Lifeline SMS: 0477 12 11 14

Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636

Kids Help Line: 1800 551 800

Mensline Australia: 1300 789 978