11/29/12

best ways to get through the holidays; part 2

In Part 1, we suggested the best ways to cope with the upcoming holiday season.


Here are more proven strategies:

1) Contact the host or hostess before the get-together and let them know that you aren’t feeling like your usual self and may need to leave early.

2) Give yourself the first 30 minutes after you arrive to adjust to a gathering where your spouse is no longer with you.

3) Take your own car or alert a friend who is driving that you may want to leave early.

4) If you start to feel overwhelmed, you can retreat to the bathroom or take a short walk for some private time.

5) If you choose to avoid the usual gatherings, consider volunteering to serve meals at shelters, visiting shut-ins, or spending the day at a movie or health spa.


Remember: You will get through this time. We’ve found that the anticipation is usually much worse than the actual events. Be sure to plan ahead and do only what is most comfortable for you.


11/26/12

best ways to get through the holidays; part 1

Here again are our best tips for surviving the holidays.

Dreading the upcoming holidays? If you’ve recently lost your spouse, the coming festivities can feel as unwelcome as Marley’s Ghost.

Here are some tried and true strategies for facing the holiday season:

1) Think ahead and try to anticipate how you’ll feel on each holiday.

2) Even if you don’t join in the festivities, don’t remain alone all day. Spend some time with a friend.

3) Considering your loss, don’t expect yourself to be as upbeat as usual. Expect some sadness as you take part in the festivities.

4) To lessen the chance of emotional “sneak attacks”, make some time to grieve, either on the holiday or just before it.

5) If you do choose to join in holiday activities, make some changes as to how much you do or become involved in.


Look for more tips in our next post.

11/12/12

veterans' survivor benefits from different government agencies

With Veteran's Day here, we were checking out the Veteran's Benefits website, when we came across a helpful page titled Federal Benefits Provided by Other Federal Agencies. If you or your dependent children are surviviors of a veteran, it's worth checking out some potential benefits you may not be aware of.

According to this page, you or your children may be entitled to:

Earned income credit from the I.R.S.

Loans for your home or farm from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

Housing assistance from HUDVET.

Small business and/or job planning help from the Small Business Administration.

Continued commissary and exchange priviledges.

Funding assistance for heating and energy costs from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

There's more, so be sure to check this out!