The holiday season is a time for joy, reflection, and togetherness, but it can also bring unique challenges to healthcare settings. Whether managing patient satisfaction, supporting wellness, or tackling the mental health strain on staff, the holiday season can stretch everyone in healthcare facilities. The Holidays in Healthcare blog series explores vital ways to navigate these challenges and promote a positive, supportive environment for patients and staff. The holiday season can feel particularly challenging for patients away from their homes and loved ones. By leveraging smart technology and compassionate care strategies, healthcare facility managers can transform a potentially isolating experience into one filled with comfort, connection, and joy.
This blog explores five impactful ways healthcare facilities staff can enhance patient satisfaction during the holidays, ensuring their care experience is both memorable and meaningful.
The power of personalization lies in its ability to make patients feel valued. Decorating rooms with seasonal touches like garlands, lights, or small holiday trees can create a warm, inviting atmosphere that contrasts with the clinical environment. Offering holiday-themed meals tailored to dietary restrictions or cultural traditions helps patients feel included in the festivities.
Personalized cards or small gifts—such as handwritten notes from staff or donated items from community groups, which are great holiday activities for patients, can bring unexpected joy and serve as reminders that patients and senior-living residents are cared for as individuals. Personalized care acknowledges the emotional and psychological needs of patients and senior-living residents, going beyond medical treatment to create a holistic experience. These small gestures of kindness show that patients and residents are more than just a case number, fostering trust and positive feelings toward the facility.
Staying connected with loved ones is vital during the holidays, especially for those unable to visit. Managers can facilitate virtual visits, holiday phone calls, or family-centered events that allow patients and residents to remain close to their families. Providing mobile TV carts for video calls can bridge the gap, ease feelings of isolation, and enhance patient comfort. Family is at the heart of holiday celebrations; helping patients and residents maintain these connections is crucial. Hosting “family days” with staggered visits in a decorated common area can give patients and residents a taste of the holiday spirit.
Loneliness is a common struggle, especially during the holidays. By enabling family connections, patients and residents feel less isolated and more supported. PDi offers the medTAB Touchscreen Smart TV, which allows for video calls with family so patients and residents can stay connected. Knowing that their loved ones are just a call away can boost emotional well-being and create cherished moments even from a distance.
Staff are often the face of the holiday experience for patients and residents, and staff energy can set the tone for the season. According to the National Institute of Health,
“front-line staff understand that treating patients with empathy and respect is the right thing to do and that their service performance affects patient satisfaction.”
Encouraging staff to wear festive attire—like holiday scrubs or Santa hats—adds a cheerful vibe to the facility. Simple acts like decorating shared spaces, sharing holiday stories, or even organizing mini-parades through hallways can create an atmosphere of joy. Hosting staff holiday events or appreciation programs can also boost morale, which naturally reflects in their interactions with patients.
When patients and residents see staff engaging with holiday cheer, it helps them feel included and lifts their spirits. A positive and vibrant environment can ease anxiety and create a sense of normalcy. It also humanizes the care experience, making them feel more connected to those providing their care.
Activities like crafting ornaments, watching holiday movies, or participating in sing-alongs can bring patients and residents together. They provide a sense of community. Tailoring activities to patients’ abilities and interests ensures inclusivity and fosters connections that brighten their days. Insight Therapy states,
“Engaging in activities that bring happiness and nostalgia during the holidays can have a lasting impact on mental health.”
For facilities with diverse populations, offering culturally inclusive activities like menorah lighting for Hanukkah or discussions about other holiday traditions can make everyone feel represented. Inviting volunteers or local choirs to perform can also add a festive touch.
Holiday-themed activities provide patients and residents with a break from their usual routines and create opportunities for interaction with staff. They can reduce feelings of boredom and isolation while fostering joy and community. These activities also give patients and residents something to look forward to, which can positively impact their overall outlook and improve the patient experience.
The holidays can be an emotional time, and some may experience feelings of loneliness or sadness. Access to spiritual care, counseling, or group therapy sessions can offer much-needed support. Managers can also consider creating spaces for quiet reflection or prayer, allowing patients and residents to find peace amidst the festivities. Music therapy is a therapeutic technique to release stress and anxiety. Hospital TVs by PDi offer built-in relaxation apps on the A-Series wall TVs and arm mounted medTAB Touchscreen TV that provide a moment for patients or senior residents to reflect and find peace.
Improving patient satisfaction during the holidays is about creating an environment where patients feel seen, heard, and cared for. By incorporating these five strategies, healthcare managers can turn a challenging time into hope and joy, reminding patients that they are never alone—especially during the holidays.
Addressing emotional and spiritual needs shows patients and residents that their well-being is a priority, which builds trust and loyalty to the facility. Patients and residents who feel heard and supported are more likely to view their care positively, and this emotional connection can have lasting effects on their recovery and satisfaction.
Looking for more ways to enhance the holiday experience in healthcare settings? Check out the other blogs in our Holidays in Healthcare series: Holiday Stress Management: Mental Health Tips in Healthcare Settings and Healthy Holiday Habits – Tips for Patients and Residents Spending the Season in Healthcare Facilities