Holiday Health Challenges: How Care Teams Can Support Chronic Condition Programs

The holiday season brings joy, celebration, and sometimes a renewed sense of connection. For individuals managing chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease, it also introduces unique health challenges. From indulgent meals to disrupted routines, increased stress, and changed schedules, the holidays can destabilize otherwise well-managed care plans. For payers and providers, this time of year presents an important opportunity to offer proactive, personalized support.

Navigating Holiday Nutrition

Large meals, desserts, high salt foods, and sugary treats are common during holiday celebrations. For people with chronic conditions, these can quickly derail dietary and care goals. 

According to a survey conducted for the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 49 percent of people living with type 2 diabetes said that managing their condition during the holiday season is more difficult than during other times of the year. 

In the same survey, only 52 percent of respondents said they had a lot or complete control over their diet during a holiday week compared with 73 percent during a typical week. 

These findings show how holiday routines, such as frequent meals, irregular schedules, and social gatherings, can disrupt healthy habits. 

Care team strategies: 

• Encourage portion control and planning ahead for gatherings. 

• Promote healthier substitutions such as more vegetables and lower-sugar options. 

• Remind members to stay hydrated and avoid excessive sugary beverages. 

• Suggest keeping a consistent eating schedule whenever possible.

Stress and Behavioral Health During the Holidays

The holidays often bring stress related to family dynamics, financial pressure, travel, and increased responsibilities. For individuals with chronic conditions, elevated stress can worsen symptoms and negatively affect overall health. 

• A 2023 American Heart Association survey found that 79 percent of adults report overlooking their own health during the holidays. 

• The top behaviors people struggle to maintain include healthy eating (69%), regular exercise (64%), and proper sleep (56%). 

• Research shows that even a single night of disrupted sleep can increase insulin resistance, which can worsen glucose control in people with diabetes. 

Care team strategies: 

• Encourage mindfulness, brief activity breaks, and breathing techniques. 

• Support members in keeping regular sleep and medication routines. 

• Provide reminders or outreach around behavioral health and stress management. 

Maintaining Care Continuity During Holiday Disruptions 

Holiday travel, schedule changes, and office closures can lead to delayed appointments, missed refills, and reduced monitoring. These disruptions pose risks for people managing chronic conditions. 

Holiday-related changes have also been linked to a higher incidence of cardiac events. 

A study by the British Medical Journal identified a 15 percent increase in heart attacks during the winter holiday period, with a 37 percent spike on December 24. 

Some research suggests that even in warm climates, where weather is not a factor, holiday related heart disease deaths still rise, suggesting behavioral factors play a significant role. 

Care team strategies: 

• Encourage early prescription refills. 

• Support the scheduling of follow-ups or labs before the routines shift. 

• Promote continued self-monitoring of glucose, blood pressure, or other indicators. 

• Provide telehealth or remote check-ins when in-person visits are delayed. 

How Zyter|TruCare and Symphony Strengthen Holiday Support 

Zyter|TruCare, enhanced by the Symphony AI orchestration platform, provides tools that help care teams intervene at the right time with the right type of support. 

• AI-driven insights can identify rising risks such as poor glucose control, missed refills, or gaps in communication. 

• Configurable workflows can enable holiday-specific outreach campaigns that focus on nutrition guidance, stress support, and medication reminders. 

• Personalized engagement can ensure each member receives guidance tailored to their clinical profile, social needs, and holiday-related risks. 

By combining education, personalized engagement, and intelligent care management, payers and providers can help members remain stable during the holiday season. The result is better daily management, fewer complications, and stronger member relationships. 

Zyter|TruCare provides the intelligence, automation, and coordination needed to support members during this time of the year. With the right guidance and proactive care strategies, organizations can help ensure healthier outcomes and more consistent engagement throughout the holidays. 

Connect with Zyter|TruCare to discover how Symphony can empower your teams to deliver truly coordinated, member-centric care throughout the holiday season – and beyond.