Christmas is just around the corner at Voyage Care and our specialist autism homes are getting ready to celebrate!

Christmas time is magical, with lights strung high and music filling homes. We get to spend precious time with our loved ones and eat lots of delicious food! And while Christmas is a time to wind down and relax, people with autism can find this time of year overwhelming, and there are various things to consider when preparing for Christmas in one of our specialist autism homes.  

Our National Autistic Society accredited services, The Leam and Cecil Road, have great approaches to preparing the people we support for a different routine during the festive period. We caught up with Naomi, a Field Support Supervisor at The Leam, and Amy, Deputy Manager at Cecil Road, to find out more about Christmas in their homes!

Changes in routine

For people with autism, routine is key in their day-to-day life. Sometimes, if this routine gets interrupted or changed, it can cause feelings of anxiety. During Christmas, these routines can often be impacted as family visit more, the number of activities increase, and people take time off or go home for the festive season. All these factors need to be considered when planning care over the Christmas period.

To help the people we support prepare for any changes during Christmas, both The Leam and Cecil Road services use a countdown calendar. The countdown calendars help individuals get used to the idea of Christmas, preparing them for any changes to their routines and allowing them to understand when decorations might go up, changing the appearance of their surroundings, and when fun events are happening.

On Christmas Day for example, the morning routine is often kept the same, ensuring the people we support can start their day how they usually would. This helps reduce stress they may have during other times of the day when routines deviate from the norm.

When it comes to the rest of the day, routines are often slightly different as there may be people visiting family, presents to open, and fun activities to do! The people we support are made aware of these changes in advance, to get them used to the idea that this day may look slightly different.

Due to varying needs in the homes, the teams adapt level of support for individuals, depending on what they need. Some struggle with the idea of having presents to open and having different people in the home. These individuals will be given as much support as they need to feel comfortable and supported to access ‘Christmas-free’ or quiet areas of the home if they wish to.

Christmas decorations

People with autism can react differently to Christmas decorations. For some, the Christmas lights and decorations are a great sensory aid for them. For others, they can become very overwhelming and need to be taken down as soon as Christmas is over.

When planning for Christmas in a care setting, it is important to cater to the needs of every individual so they remain comfortable during the festive celebrations.

For example, at The Leam, a person we support loves the Christmas lights so much, that before bed, all the lights must be turned off, otherwise he becomes too excited to sleep!  However, another person we support doesn’t like the lights so much. Because of the different needs in the home, certain rooms are decorated, while others remain the same, ensuring there’s a space for people to take a break from Christmas when they need to.

Making special memories

Christmas is a time when spending time with loved ones is emphasised. However, not everybody has this luxury. At Voyage Care, we work hard to make our services as homely as possible, and a lot of the time, the people living there consider the people that live with them, and those that support them, as their family. That’s why we’re determined to make the festive period as magical as we can for the people we support. All our services have their own traditions that everyone looks forward to when Christmas comes around.

But it’s not just the people that makes Christmas special, it’s the food too! During Christmas, we ensure the people we support can enjoy treats that allow them to indulge, like everyone else! For example, every person we support gets to choose their own Christmas dinner. Whether that’s a classic turkey dinner at Cecil Road, or a festive pizza in the shape of a Christmas tree at The Leam, these dinners are always catered to the people we support’s likes and dietary requirements. Whatever is on the menu though, having dinner together as a family is something our homes can count on each Christmas.

We also ensure that each person we support can buy gifts for their loved ones, often making use of ‘quiet hours’ in the shops to avoid the hustle and bustle of shopping in the leadup to Christmas. For individuals that don’t have family to buy gifts for, we make sure to get them something too! Our kind team gather wish lists from everyone to make sure the people we support feel special with a present from Santa!

When it comes to presents, some of the people we support don’t like them to be wrapped either, as they like to know what each one is. It is essential to cater for people with autism at Christmas based on their needs and preferences. But whatever the time of year, their support needs should always be at the centre of their care.  

Find out more

To find out more about our specialist autism support at Christmas and beyond, fill out our simple form and a member of our friendly team will be in touch!