Christmas is meant to be a time of celebration and cheer but for those living more isolated, it can be difficult.

Whether it be an older Australian without family, or a person with disability and high physical needs, home care support workers around the country are doing their bit to ensure everyone gets to feel special and connected this Christmas.

Giovanni Siano, owner of Home Instead Geelong, says migrants make up 20 per cent of his workforce, many of whom have family overseas who they will be unable to spend Christmas with.

Instead they will spend the day with their ‘adopted’ family — their clients.

“Our carers may care for someone multiple times a week, sometimes everyday, so naturally they develop very special bonds and some they consider like family,” he says.

“I was heartened to see people putting their hand up for Christmas Day this year to ensure that our clients, many of whom are quite isolated, can feel some of the Christmas spirit.”

Siano himself is a migrant from Italy, who came to Australia in 2011.

“Starting from the bottom of the ladder in a foreign country, a different language, without family or social support, was very humbling and challenging,” he says.

“I fully appreciate what it is like to feel lonely and I now feel privileged to be supporting our clients during these sacred celebrations.”

Home Instead Geelong carer Gary Fanlo says he is currently planning with the family of a person with a physical disability to help make his Christmas Day a memorable one.

“I’m researching and coordinating with the family to make Christmas Day special for this particular client,” he says.

“Last Christmas I took him to a family reunion which was also a priceless moment for him.”

Fanlo was a registered nurse back in the Philippines and has worked with Home Instead since coming to Australia, and says he really enjoys caring for people and the feeling of helping somebody out.

“It’s important that we should be there for our clients, no matter what day of the year — they deserve to enjoy their day too.”

Managing director of Home Care Nurses Australia, Busi Faulkner, says after an isolating few years due to COVID-19 she also wants to help spread the cheer this Christmas.

“When you are caring for someone each day you do develop personal relationships with them, they become like family to us,” she says.

“We know this can be an isolating time for some and so our workers are going above and beyond to spread the Christmas spirit with their clients, even if it is something as simple as putting up a tree and some decorations for them.”