Holidays got you down? COVID making it worse? Here are ways to get help
The holidays can be joyous, filled with family, gifts and memories.
But for some, the holidays can be lonely and depressing.
Now factor in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2020 holiday season promises to be one of the most challenging in generations.
“The holidays bring about many different feelings for people,” said Peter Routsis-Arroyo, the CEO of Catholic Charities, which offers counseling to those in need. “Some think of the good times, but for many they reflect on having lost a loved one or someone close to them or being isolated and not being able to be with family members. It’s very normal to fall in to some sort of depression or anxiety during this time of year.”
The pandemic, RoutsisArroyo said, “has hit the hardest for seniors and those who are most vulnerable.”
“It’s a catch-22 because they are more vulnerable because of the virus, but they are also more vulnerable because many of them are isolated and alone,” he said.
Catholic Charities is one of many agencies in South Florida offering emotional support for those in need.
“People should know that there is help out there,” Routsis-Arroyo said.
Both Miami-Dade and Broward have a general help line, 211, that can connect people with services including employment, crisis intervention and food assistance.
Miami-Dade’s help line, which is run by Jewish Community Services, was formerly known as Switchboard Miami. This is a 24-hour a day “source for information and resources for health and human services in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.”
Deborah Hurwitz, division director for the Jewish Community Service’s Access and Outreach and a licensed clinical social worker, said 211 is a resource for the community at large.
“People are suffering a lot on all levels,” Hurwitz said. “General loss of a person or loved one in and of itself is hard to deal with, but there’s a heightened feeling of isolation. “It’s the lack financial resources, the lack of connection, the lack of being able to celebrate with loved ones. It’s important for people to know they are not alone.”
Here’s a look at local and state agencies that can provide support for those in need:
HELP FOR SENIORS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS
Across Florida, local
Area Agencies on Aging are working together to promote resources and programs for older adults through the Together Apart: Holidays at Heart campaign that takes on added gravity given the pandemic.
According to Alliance for Aging, a not-for-profit network of 11 elder care agencies through the state, many seniors — a group most vulnerable from COVID-19 — are sticking closer to home to isolate themselves to prevent exposure. Alliance has partnered with the Florida Department of Elder Affairs to help them feel less alone during the holiday season.
“Although the Alliance and our service provider network provide a broad array of home- and community-based services year round, it feels especially important to connect with seniors during the holidays,” Alliance for Aging president and CEO Max Rothman said in a statement. “We must do our part as a community to minimize the isolation and loneliness of our most vulnerable population by spreading holiday joy and cheer in the safest ways possible.”