Santas bring seniors holiday cheer
Area retailers, high schools, Cub Scouts, Brownies, and nursing homes partnered with a local senior-care service to make sure that isolated and lonely seniors received gifts and companionship through the "Be a Santa to a Senior" program. Home Instead Senior Care, a provider of nonmedical home care and companionship for older adults, joined with large retailers, including Sears and Starbucks, long-term care facilities like Manor Care and Arden Courts, as well as ETS, to provide gifts and good cheer to seniors who otherwise might not receive a gift this holiday season.
"Be a Santa to a Senior is a great way to make sure older adults in our community have a special gift and a happy holiday season when many are forgotten," said Kelly Hutchison, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office in Elk Grove Village "The holidays are often a time for children, but seniors - especially those who are isolated and lonely - need to be remembered as well. Be a Santa to a Senior is designed to help spread cheer and provide some terrific social interaction for older adults, who are unlikely to have guests during the holidays."
Be a Santa to a Senior recently culminated with visits to three long-term care facilities. More than 300 gifts were distributed to seniors. Early in November area retailers placed gift trees in their facilities. Ornaments, with names and gift suggestions were placed on the trees. Shoppers then purchased a gift item which was collected by Home Instead and wrapped by National Honor Society students from Elk Grove and Rolling Meadows high schools. They also designed handmade greeting cards for each gift.
One area senior benefiting from Be a Santa to a Senior was overjoyed to receive a book on National Parks. "It is the most beautiful book I have ever seen, and as soon as I find my glasses I'm going to read it page by page all afternoon," Lynn told program director, Terrie Thompson.
"Be a Santa to a Senior is a way to show our gratitude to those older adults, like Lynn, who have contributed so much to our community during their lives," Kelly Hutchison said. "We hope the gifts helped lift their spirits a little."
For more information about the program visit beasantatoasenior.com.
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