Lombard firm seeks Santas for area seniors

A Lombard organization is offering a chance to play Santa to an area senior this holiday season.

The Home Instead Senior Care, a provider of nonmedical home care and companionship for older adults in Cook and DuPage counties, is spearheading its fifth "Be a Santa to a Senior" holiday program in cooperation with select area businesses and senior care providers.

"We don't all have kids but we all have a mom and dad," said Tom Ellen, marketing director for Home Instead Senior Care. "We'd like to pay respect to seniors."

Secret Santas can stop by special Christmas trees at area Walgreens - including the stores located at 200 E. Roosevelt Road in Villa Park and 160 Robert Palmer Drive in Elmhurst - to pick an ornament featuring an area senior's Christmas wish.

Most seniors ask for warm clothes, blankets or gift cards for food or prescriptions, Ellen said. Then drop off the unwrapped gift with tag affixed at the same location by the deadline on the ornament.

A community gift wrapping party will be held Dec. 17 through Dec. 24 and the public is welcome to help. Home Instead Senior Care then will deliver the gifts close to Christmas.

The presents will go to area seniors who either have no family nearby or whose families cannot afford to exchange gifts, Ellen said. Participating nonprofit agencies include York Township, Sunrise Assisted Living of Glen Ellyn and Senior Home Sharing in Wheaton and Greencastle of Elmhurst.

Last year, roughly 1,050 area seniors received one or two gifts when they otherwise would have had nothing, Ellen said. The organization typically receives several thank you cards from the seniors who are extremely "grateful" to be remembered with gifts, he said.

"I continue to be amazed by the public's generosity," Ellen said. "It's humbling."

Adds Home Instead Senior Care owner Pat Kennedy: "Our hope is that many will be touched by this holiday gesture of goodwill."

If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering to help gift-wrapping or make deliveries, contact Home Instead Senior Care at (708) 482-8660.

For more tree locations in the area or for more information about the program or see beasantatoasenior.com.