Christmas travel plans often come together quickly.
One family heads interstate. Another spends a week at the coast. Adult children divide their time between relatives, while grandchildren, neighbours and regular visitors all become busy with their own celebrations.
For an older person remaining at home, the change may be much quieter.
The usual Sunday visitor is away. The neighbour who collects the mail has travelled. A support worker’s schedule has changed. The local pharmacy is operating on reduced hours. The person who normally responds to an emergency may be several hours—or several time zones—away.
Living alone does not automatically mean someone is unsafe. Many older Australians manage independently and enjoy having a peaceful Christmas at home.
The concern arises when several small parts of their support network disappear at the same time and nobody has checked what remains.
Before families leave, one question needs a clear answer:
Who is checking in on the person staying at home?
Checking in is not the same as taking over
Some older people feel uncomfortable when family members suddenly begin organising their days or calling repeatedly.
A check-in plan should not make the person feel watched, incapable or excluded from decisions about their own life.
It should be created with them.
Begin by asking:
- How often would you like someone to call?
- Would you prefer a phone call, video call, text message or visit?
- What time normally suits you?
- Who would you feel comfortable hearing from?
- Is there anyone you do not want entering the home?
- What should happen if you do not answer?
- Would you like company on Christmas Day?
- Are there any parts of your usual routine you want to keep?
Some people may want daily contact. Others may prefer a brief message in the morning and a longer conversation every few days.
The goal is to agree on enough support to manage foreseeable risks without unnecessarily reducing the person’s privacy or independence.
Start planning before the suitcases are packed
The day before departure is not the best time to discover that the emergency contact is also going away.
Begin the conversation as soon as the family’s plans are known.
Write down:
- The dates each family member will be away
- How they can be contacted
- Whether they will have reliable mobile reception
- Who will be available locally
- Which support services will continue
- Which services may change over Christmas
- Important appointments during that period
- The older person’s preferred check-in routine
- What should happen if a check-in is missed
- Who can enter the home during an emergency
A simple written plan avoids everyone assuming that someone else is responsible.
Map the usual support network
Many older people receive more informal support than anyone realises.
One family member may collect prescriptions. A neighbour may take the bins out. Someone from church may provide transport. A daughter might call every evening, while a grandson fixes small problems around the house.
Individually, these tasks may seem minor. Together, they form an important support network.
Ask:
- Who normally visits during the week?
- Who provides transport?
- Who collects groceries and medicines?
- Who helps with meals?
- Who attends medical appointments?
- Who handles household repairs?
- Who takes care of the garden or bins?
- Who responds if the person feels unwell?
- Who holds a spare key?
- Who usually notices when something is different?
Then check which of those people will still be available during the Christmas period.
This can reveal gaps that might otherwise be missed.
Do not rely on one contact
The person checking in should not be someone who will be driving long distances, camping without mobile reception or managing several Christmas commitments.
Create a small contact chain.
This might include:
- A primary contact who calls at the agreed time.
- A backup contact if the first person is unavailable.
- A nearby neighbour, friend or relative who can visit.
- A person who can enter the home if necessary.
- Emergency services when there is an immediate health or safety concern.
Each person should know their role.
A group chat can help, but it should not replace clear responsibility. When a message is sent to five people, everyone may assume somebody else will respond.
Name the person responsible for each check-in.
Agree on what happens after a missed call
A missed phone call does not always mean something is wrong. The person may be in the shower, outside in the garden or simply unable to hear the phone.
However, repeated unanswered calls should not be ignored when they are unusual.
An agreed escalation plan might be:
- Call at the usual time.
- Try again after 10 or 15 minutes.
- Send a text message.
- Call through a second number or personal alarm contact.
- Contact the local neighbour or key holder.
- Ask someone to visit the home.
- Call triple zero (000) if there is reason to believe the person may be seriously ill, injured or in immediate danger.
The appropriate steps will depend on the person’s health, routine and level of risk.
Someone with a recent history of falls, seizures or sudden medical events may need a faster response than a person who regularly forgets to take their phone into the garden.
Document the plan so nobody has to make it up during a stressful situation.
Ask more than “Are you okay?”
Most people answer “yes” when asked if they are okay.
A useful check-in is still friendly and conversational, but it includes a few specific questions.
For example:
- How did you sleep?
- What have you had to eat and drink today?
- Have you taken your usual medicines?
- Are you feeling dizzy, weak, short of breath or unwell?
- Is the air conditioner or fan working?
- Is the house comfortable?
- Have you heard from your support worker?
- What are you planning to do today?
- Is your phone or personal alarm charged?
- Is there anything you need someone to bring or arrange?
A voice conversation can sometimes reveal changes that a text message will not. The person may sound unusually confused, breathless, tired or distressed.
If something feels different, do not dismiss it because the person says they are fine. Ask another question or arrange for someone nearby to visit.
Confirm that someone can access the home
If the person cannot answer the door, who can get inside?
Possible arrangements include:
- A trusted person holding a spare key
- A secure key safe
- Building management having approved emergency access
- A neighbour holding a key with the person’s consent
- A documented access plan provided to the relevant care service
The older person should know who has access and agree to the arrangement.
Door codes and key-safe information should only be shared with authorised people. Review the code if someone who previously had access should no longer enter the home.
Also consider practical issues such as security doors, pets, locked side gates and apartment lifts. These can delay access even when someone has a key.
Confirm holiday service arrangements
Christmas and New Year can change the availability of services that usually keep someone safe and comfortable.
Before the family leaves, contact relevant providers and confirm:
- Whether home-care visits will continue
- Whether visit times will change
- Who to call if a worker does not arrive
- Whether meal deliveries will be affected
- Whether transport services will operate
- The opening hours of the usual GP clinic
- Which pharmacy will be open
- Whether prescriptions need to be collected early
- When community activities will pause and resume
- Whether cleaning, gardening or personal-care support will continue
- Whether the personal alarm monitoring arrangement remains active
Do not assume a public holiday automatically cancels a service, but do not assume the usual schedule will continue either.
If an essential service is unavailable, arrange an alternative before the holiday period begins.
Check food, water and medicines
The person should have enough essentials to manage comfortably without relying on a last-minute shopping trip.
Check that they have:
- Suitable meals and snacks
- Drinking water
- Food that is easy to prepare
- Items that do not require the oven during very hot weather
- Current medicines
- Clear medicine instructions
- Any continence, wound-care or personal-care supplies they need
- Food and medication for pets, where relevant
- A plan for rubbish and food waste
- Contact details for the usual pharmacy
Avoid buying so much food that it becomes difficult to store safely or creates obstacles around the home.
If the person needs help preparing meals, make sure the food can be reheated and carried safely. Heavy containers, tightly sealed lids and meals stored on difficult-to-reach shelves may not be practical.
Medicines should not be stopped, changed or taken differently without advice from the prescribing doctor or pharmacist.
Prepare for the Australian summer
Christmas falls during a period when much of Australia may experience extreme heat, storms, bushfire conditions or power interruptions.
The person staying home should know:
- How to check the weather and heatwave forecast
- Which room remains coolest
- How to operate the air conditioner or fan
- When to close blinds and curtains
- Where drinking water is kept
- Who to call if the cooling equipment fails
- Where they can go if the home becomes too hot
- Who can provide transport
- What to do during a power failure
The Bureau of Meteorology issues heatwave forecasts and warnings through its website and weather app. Families should continue monitoring the forecast for the older person’s location rather than only checking the weather at their holiday destination.
During extreme heat, the check-in plan may need to become more frequent.
Ask directly whether the person is using their cooling equipment. Some older people avoid switching on air conditioning because they are worried about electricity costs.
A personal alarm can provide a way to call for help, but it does not replace hydration, a cool environment or regular human contact.
Reduce avoidable fall risks before leaving
A small home-safety check can prevent problems while the usual helpers are away.
Look for:
- Loose mats
- Cluttered walkways
- Electrical cords
- Unstable outdoor furniture
- Hoses across paths
- Poor lighting
- Items stored on high shelves
- Heavy Christmas decorations
- Slippery bathroom surfaces
- Worn footwear
- Mobility aids needing repair
- Frequently used items that are difficult to reach
Place everyday items where they can be accessed without climbing, bending deeply or carrying heavy objects.
If a light, handrail, walking aid or essential appliance needs repair, arrange it before the holiday period rather than leaving the person to manage around the problem.
Include plans for outings
The person staying home may still attend church, visit friends, go shopping or join community activities.
The aim is not to make them remain indoors because the family is away.
Ask:
- Where are you planning to go?
- How will you get there and return?
- Will public or community transport operate?
- Does someone know your expected return time?
- Will the venue be open?
- Is the route suitable during hot weather?
- Will you take your phone or personal alarm?
- Do you have identification and an emergency contact?
- What is the backup if transport is cancelled?
A check-in plan should support the person’s normal life, not unnecessarily restrict it.
Make space for genuine connection
A safety call and a social conversation are not always the same thing.
Someone can receive a daily “Are you okay?” message and still feel forgotten during Christmas.
Healthdirect distinguishes between isolation and loneliness. Isolation relates to the number and frequency of social connections, while loneliness describes how someone feels about the quality of those relationships. A person may live alone without feeling lonely, or feel lonely despite receiving frequent contact.
Ask the person what Christmas means to them and what they would enjoy.
Possibilities include:
- Joining the family celebration by video
- Receiving photos or short messages from the trip
- Sharing a meal with a neighbour
- Attending a church or community event
- Having someone visit for morning tea
- Watching a favourite Christmas film together remotely
- Preparing a special meal
- Calling relatives at an agreed time
- Continuing a family tradition in a different way
- Planning an activity for after the family returns
Avoid making every call sound like a health assessment. Talk about ordinary things, listen properly and give the person time to share what they have been doing.
Watch for changes in mood and behaviour
Christmas can bring grief, memories and a stronger sense of absence, particularly for someone who has lost a partner, close friend or family member.
Look for changes such as:
- Withdrawing from usual contact
- Persistent sadness
- Loss of interest in normal activities
- Changes in sleep or appetite
- Increased confusion
- Neglecting personal care
- Expressing hopelessness or worthlessness
- Drinking more alcohol
- Repeatedly saying there is no point in asking for help
Do not assume these changes are a normal part of ageing or simply “Christmas blues.”
Encourage the person to speak with their GP if changes in mood persist or affect daily life. Healthdirect provides free health advice from a registered nurse 24 hours a day on 1800 022 222.
Call triple zero (000) for an immediate or life-threatening emergency.
Review the personal alarm before the family leaves
A personal alarm can be particularly useful when the people who usually visit are away.
However, the alarm needs to be included in the plan—not simply left on a bedside table.
Check that:
- The person is wearing or carrying it
- They can press the SOS button
- The device is charged or correctly connected
- Emergency contacts are current
- The listed contacts know the family will be away
- At least one contact will be available
- Everyone understands what happens after activation
- The alarm works in the areas the person uses
- The client knows how to test it
- Automatic fall detection is understood as additional support rather than a guarantee
The CareAlert Home Alarm is designed for people who spend most of their time at home. Its wearable pendant works within the home, yard and garage, up to 150 metres from the base unit.
For someone who regularly leaves home, the CareAlert Mobile Alarm provides a mobile SOS button, two-way communication and GPS location features where compatible 4G coverage is available.
The CareAlert Emergency Watch offers a wrist-worn option with SOS calling, two-way communication, GPS location and automatic fall detection.
If the alarm is programmed to contact family or friends, confirm that those people will be able to answer while travelling. A contact who will be on a flight, overseas without roaming or in an area without reception may need to be temporarily replaced or supported by another response arrangement.
CareAlert’s Health Care Hub provides information and ordering support for occupational therapists, aged care providers, NDIS organisations and other healthcare professionals.
Know when a situation is an emergency
Call triple zero (000) when the person needs urgent medical assistance or may be in immediate danger.
Examples include:
- Chest pain
- Serious breathing difficulty
- Sudden facial weakness, arm weakness or difficulty speaking
- Loss of consciousness
- A seizure
- A sudden collapse
- A serious or unexplained fall
- Suspected heatstroke
- Severe bleeding
- A person who cannot be woken
- Any major concern requiring immediate medical help
If the person is unwell but it is not an emergency, they may contact their GP, pharmacist or the Healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222.
Keep these numbers beside the phone in large, clear print.
A Christmas handover for families and care providers
Before the usual support person leaves, confirm the following:
Contact plan
- The older person has agreed to the check-in arrangement
- A primary and backup contact have been named
- Check-in times are clear
- The missed-call escalation plan is documented
- Someone trustworthy can visit the home
- Emergency contacts are current
Home and daily needs
- Food and essential supplies are available
- Prescriptions have been collected
- Medicines are stored correctly
- Walkways are clear
- Lighting is working
- Mobility aids are in good condition
- Frequently used items are easy to reach
- Pet-care arrangements are in place
Services
- Support-worker schedules are confirmed
- Meal and transport services have been checked
- Holiday contact numbers are available
- GP and pharmacy opening arrangements are known
- An alternative has been organised for any cancelled service
Summer safety
- Weather forecasts will be monitored
- Cooling equipment works
- The person can operate it
- Drinking water is accessible
- A cooler alternative location has been identified
- Transport to that location is available
- A power-outage plan is in place
Emergency preparation
- A spare key or approved access method is available
- The phone is charged
- The personal alarm has been tested
- Alarm contacts are available
- The person knows when and how to call triple zero
- Important health information is easy to find
Social connection
- Christmas Day contact has been arranged
- The person has opportunities for meaningful conversation
- Community or church activities have been checked
- The person knows when the family will return
- Their preferences have been respected
The most important part of the plan is clarity
Families do not need to cancel every trip because an older relative is remaining at home.
They do need to avoid vague arrangements.
“Someone will call.”
“The neighbour is around.”
“Mum knows what to do.”
These statements may feel reassuring, but they do not identify who is responsible, when contact will happen or what should occur if something goes wrong.
A clear plan protects everyone.
The older person knows who will contact them and how to ask for help. Family members can travel without constantly wondering whether someone else has checked in. Neighbours and care providers understand their roles. Emergency contacts are more likely to respond promptly.
Most importantly, the person staying home remains part of the decision.
Christmas safety is not about removing their independence. It is about making sure independence is supported by people, services and technology that will still be there when the usual family routine changes.
Before everyone leaves, take a few minutes to ask the question clearly:
Who is checking in—and what will they do if there is no answer?