Say Goodbye to Holiday Season Stress: Lighthouse Guild Offers Tips for People with Vision Loss

NEW YORK (December 8, 2023) — The holiday season can be a wonderful time of joy and celebration, but it can also be very stressful, and people with vision loss can face particular challenges. Cooking, shopping, and traveling can require more effort. Parties and social events may increase interactions with people who do not understand vision loss. For people without family or close friends, the holidays can increase feelings of isolation and loneliness.   

Adrienne Wexler, a licensed clinical social worker at Lighthouse Guild with many years of experience working with people who are blind or visually impaired, says, “Being actively involved helps us cope through challenges and strengthens our abilities during the holidays.”

Here are a few tips from Lighthouse Guild to help make the holidays less stressful:

Plan Ahead:  Plan travel details and alternate routes for shopping and visiting carefully and in advance. Shop during the least crowded times of day. 

Acknowledge Feelings:  It is not uncommon to feel sadness, anger, or grief during the holiday season. Acknowledge those feelings and realize that it is okay to cry or express emotions.

Reach Out:  If you feel lonely or isolated, reaching out and seeking support and companionship can help. Community centers, religious organizations and other groups in your area offer opportunities to connect with others. The holiday season is a great time to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

Forget Perfection:  The holidays do not have to be perfect or exactly like last year. Traditions and rituals can change as people and families change. You can choose to hold on to some of the old traditions and create some new ones.  

Avoid Arguments:  Family and friends may not live up to your expectations but try to accept them as they are. Make every attempt to set aside past grievances for a more appropriate discussion time. Odds are others are also experiencing holiday stress.

Mind Your Money:  Decide how much money you can afford to spend and stick to a budget for gift and food shopping. Sometimes a simple gift or meal can be the most satisfying and meaningful. 

If despite your efforts, you still feel persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable, hopeless, or unable to face routine chores, seek professional help from a doctor or mental health professional.  

About Lighthouse Guild

Lighthouse Guild provides exceptional services that inspire people who are visually impaired to attain their goals. Our podcast series, “On Tech & Vision with Dr. Cal Roberts,” offers information and insights about technological innovations that are tearing down barriers for people who are blind or visually impaired. For more information, visit Lighthouseguild.org. 

Press Contact: Bryan Dotson, Manners Dotson Group

917-796-8632, bdotson@mannersdotson.com