Caring for the Caregivers During the Holidays
The holiday season can be a meaningful time in long-term care and senior living communities, but it is also one of the most challenging. Changes in visitation schedules, increased activity in the community, and disruptions to daily routines often heighten resident needs, particularly for those living with dementia. At the same time, care teams are often balancing more demanding workloads, shifting hours, and personal obligations of their own.
For community leadership teams, this season reinforces an important reality: staff well-being and resident care quality are deeply connected. When caregivers are stretched emotionally and physically, even the most experienced teams can feel the strain.
Supporting staff mental health does not require leaders to be clinicians or counselors. It starts with awareness, consistent communication, and access to the right resources. By recognizing the added pressures the holidays bring and proactively reinforcing support, community leaders can help care teams stay resilient, engaged, and equipped to navigate this demanding time of year.
Why the Holidays Are Especially Challenging for Care Teams
The holidays tend to amplify stress for both residents and staff. Residents, particularly those with underlying mental health conditions or cognitive impairment, may experience sadness related to loved ones who are absent or have passed, increased confusion due to changes in routine, or heightened anxiety or agitation. More visitors, altered schedules, and unfamiliar activity can disrupt the environment and make care more complex.
For caregivers, the holidays often bring increased emotional and cognitive load. The expectation to be fully present for residents while also managing personal and family obligations can significantly elevate stress levels. Under this cumulative strain, caregivers may overlook their own well-being, increasing the risk of fatigue and burnout.
What Community Leaders Should Watch For
Stress and emotional fatigue do not always present in obvious ways. During high-demand periods like the holidays, leaders should be mindful of subtle changes in behavior or engagement among team members.
Common indicators that a staff member may be struggling include increased irritability or withdrawal, difficulty concentrating, visible exhaustion, changes in sleep patterns, physical complaints such as headaches or muscle pain, or a noticeable decline in patience during resident interactions.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), these responses are common reactions to ongoing stress and trauma, not signs of weakness or lack of professionalism. Left unaddressed, they can contribute to burnout and reduced well-being over time.
Why Leadership Awareness Matters
Care teams are accustomed to pushing through difficult days. Many normalize stress as part of the job and may be reluctant to speak up, especially during the holidays when staffing pressures are already high.
Leadership sets the tone for what is acceptable. When leaders acknowledge the challenges of the season and remain attentive to how staff are coping, it creates space for early support and reinforces that well-being matters.
Small actions can make a meaningful difference. A brief check-in, a word of appreciation, or simply recognizing that the holidays add complexity to care can help staff feel seen and supported.
Practical Ways Leaders Can Support Staff Well-Being
For front-line health care professionals, NAMI emphasizes that resilience is not about eliminating stress. It is about reducing its cumulative impact and ensuring people have support before stress becomes overwhelming.
For community leaders, this means focusing on environment and access rather than placing the burden solely on individuals. Helpful approaches include:
- Regular, informal check-ins to gauge how staff are doing during shifts
- Normalizing the use of support resources, such as employee assistance programs or mental health services
- Reinforcing psychological safety, reminding staff that emotional responses to difficult days or resident losses are normal
- Encouraging breaks and recovery time, particularly after challenging interactions
These actions don’t require formal programs or extensive policy changes. Consistency and visible support from leadership often have the greatest impact.
Supporting Staff Through Trusted Resources
Leadership teams don’t need to have all the answers. What matters is knowing where to turn and helping staff access reliable support.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers confidential, professional, and peer-based mental health resources designed specifically for health care professionals. In addition, many organizations provide mental health support through their employee benefit plans, including access to counseling services and telehealth options. Leadership teams who understand and actively promote these resources help remove barriers to early support, particularly during high-pressure periods like the holidays.
The Takeaway
The holiday season will always bring extra emotion to long-term care and senior living communities. With thoughtful leadership and access to the right resources, that emotion does not have to lead to exhaustion.
When caregivers feel supported, residents feel it too. This season, caring for the caregivers helps ensure stability, safety, and compassion across the community.
Leaders are encouraged to explore mental health resources and resilience strategies available for health care professionals to support their teams—and themselves—this holiday season and beyond.
Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), resources for frontline health care professionals. Available at: https://www.nami.org/your-journey/frontline-professionals/health-care-professionals/
