With all the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, 71% of Australians are now bracing for a stressful Christmas season, according to HCF Australia's (HCF) latest Post Pandemic Trends: 2021 Summer Holiday Health Report.
The report surveyed more than 2,500 Australians to understand how people felt the pandemic impacted their wellbeing since the beginning of 2021, leading up to the festive season. It found that 2.6 million Australians expect this year's Christmas season to be more stressful than ever because of pressure to make it perfect to compensate for a “bad year.”
Parents with children at home (80%) expect to experience stress, pressure, or loneliness this holiday season, with women twice as likely as men to say they take the lion's share in their household when planning gifts and preparing meals for Christmas or summer holiday gatherings (21% versus 10%).
HCF chief officer member health Julie Andrews said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health did not end with the easing of restrictions or lockdowns. In fact, it might be even more worrisome for many Australians, “given the year we've had.”
As a result, HCF has expanded its mental health offerings, allowing eligible members to access a range of exclusive service offers, including PSYC2U psychiatry and navigation telehealth services.
Commenting on the offerings, HCF partner PSYCH2U psychologist Jeremy Cowden said: “Christmas is always a tough time for people, and a lot of it is caused by a build-up of expectation, which this year will be greater because we've had a long time to think about it.”
Andrews added: “At HCF, we've gone above and beyond to ensure we have a holistic mental health program with quick and easy access to the right tools at the right time, so people know where to go when they need help.”
Aside from expanding mental health services, HCF promised to return $66 million of claims savings to all of its private health insurance (PHI) policyholders as part of its COVID-19 support for customers. It also provided premium relief to more than 71,000 members facing financial hardship to help them maintain their health cover throughout the pandemic.
So far, freezing premiums at current rates has been the most effective way to return funds to the insurer's PHI members.
“Our aim is to make the process as simple as possible so that every dollar of savings is returned to members and not to a costly return process,” said HCF chief executive officer Sheena Jack. “This action is in line with our commitment to [keeping] health cover affordable and available to as many Australians as possible.”
