Home Instead Senior Care’s "Be a Santa to a Senior"

Home Instead Senior Care’s program, "Be a Santa to a Senior," is in its fourth year. The program focuses on what they call "elder orphans,"  those seniors who don't get visitors or have family members to brighten their holidays. These senior's often suffer more depression that those with family ties and frequent visitors.

From Home Instead: "Here’s how the program works:  Prior to the holiday season, participating non-profit organizations around North America will identify needy, orphaned and isolated seniors and provide those names to Home Instead Senior Care offices in their communities.  Christmas trees will go up in those area’s retail stores featuring ornaments with the first names only of the needy seniors and their respective gift requests.Holiday shoppers can pick up an ornament, buy items on the list and return them unwrapped to the store, along with the senior’s ornament attached.  Home Instead Senior Care then enlists the volunteer help of its staff, senior-care business associates, non-profit workers and others to collect, wrap and distribute the gifts to those seniors.  Citywide gift-wrapping days, where hundreds of the presents are wrapped, are held in many communities."

So, folks, look in your phone book and see if you have a Home Instead franchise in your city. If you do, ask what you can do to help with this great program.