Program Provides Comfort, Companionship and Cheer to Sacramento Area Seniors
Roseville, Calif.- While many seniors enjoy being able to live independently, the holidays can be a difficult time for those who are unable to spend them with friends or loved ones. In fact, isolated seniors are at greater risk for loneliness, anxiety and depression.
This is why the local Home Instead Senior Care offices serving Sacramento and surrounding counties are inviting the community to come together to bring some comfort and holiday cheer to area seniors through their Be a Santa to a Senior program.
“Research suggests that feelings of loneliness can have a real effect on both mental and physical health. The holidays are a prime time for many people to feel lonely, and that may be especially true for seniors who cannot travel from their homes or have lost their support network,” said Buck Shaw of Home instead Senior Care in Sacramento. “With Be a Santa to a Senior, we are able to bring them some comfort through a thoughtful gift that they might not otherwise receive, but, more importantly, by delivering them with a warm friendly face and kind words reminding them that their community cares about them.”
Providing gifts and companionship at a time when seniors may need it most, the program is made possible through the generous support of Sacramento area businesses, nonprofit organizations, retailers, numerous volunteers and members of the community. The local Home Instead Senior Care offices are partnering with Meals on Wheels to help with gift collection and distribution.
Holiday shoppers are invited to support Be a Santa to a Senior by visiting a participating location where Be a Santa to a Senior trees will be on display from Nov. 16 to Dec. 15. Those trees will be decorated with paper ornaments featuring seniors’ first names and their desired gifts. Holiday shoppers can choose an ornament, buy the requested gift and return it to the store with the ornament attached. There’s no need to worry about wrapping – community volunteers and program partners will wrap and deliver the gifts to local seniors in time for the holidays.
“We’re excited to get started and see the tree ornaments turn into meaningful gifts and interactions that can make a real impact on seniors’ quality of life this holiday season,” said Shaw. “We know there are a variety of gift initiatives out there, and are so grateful to have our partners and community come together to support this important cause that will bring some much-needed holiday spirit to many of our senior neighbors.”
More than 50 Be a Santa to a Senior trees can be found this year, including the following locations, or by entering a zip code at www.BeaSantatoaSenior.com:
* BloodSource, multiple locations throughout Sacramento
* Brookdale Elk Grove, 6727 Laguna Park Dr., Elk Grove
* Community 1st Bank, 649 Lincoln Way, Auburn
* Denny’s Restaurant – Auburn, 1800 Auburn Ravine Rd., Auburn
* Denny’s Restaurant – Auburn Blvd., 3520 Auburn Blvd., Sacramento
* Denny’s Restaurant – Bercut Dr., 300 Bercut Dr., Sacramento
* Denny’s Restaurant – Carmichael, 7433 Fair Oaks Blvd., Carmichael
* Denny’s Restaurant – College Town Dr., 7900 College Town Dr., Sacramento
* Denny’s Restaurant – Elk Grove Blvd., 8707 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove
* Denny’s Restaurant – Florin Rd., 5460 Florin Rd., Sacramento
* Denny’s Restaurant – Folsom, 1011 Riley St., Folsom
* Denny’s Restaurant – Foothills Blvd., 5181 Foothills Blvd., Roseville
* Denny’s Restaurant – Galt, 1055 C St., Galt
* Denny’s Restaurant – Howe Ave., 1322 Howe Ave., Sacramento
* Denny’s Restaurant – Natomas, 4441 E. Commerce Way, Sacramento
* Denny’s Restaurant – Newcastle, 681 Newcastle Rd., Newcastle
* Denny’s Restaurant – Orangevale, 841 Greenback Ln., Orangevale
* Denny’s Restaurant – Roseville, 122 Sunrise Ave., Roseville
* DSW – Designer Shoe Warehouse Elk Grove, 7415 Laguna Blvd., Elk Grove
* Eskaton Lodge Gold River, 11390 Coloma Rd., Gold River
* Folsom Care Center, 510 Mill St., Folsom
* Hewlett-Packard, 8000 Foothills Blvd., Roseville
* Hilton Garden Inn Folsom, 221 Iron Point Rd., Folsom
* Hilton Sacramento Arden West, 2200 Harvard St., Sacramento
* McCaulou’s, 372 Elm Ave., Auburn
* Meals on Wheels, 7375 Park City Dr., Sacramento
* Microsemi Corporation, 101 Creekside Ridge Ct., #100, Roseville
* Mistywood Retirement Community, 1275 Pleasant Grove Blvd., Roseville
* Oakmont of Roseville, 1101 Secret Ravine Pkwy, Roseville
* Oakwood Village, 3388 Bell Rd., Auburn
* Revere Court Assisted Living Community, 7707 Rush River Dr., Sacramento
* Sagebrook at Carmichael, 7125 Fair Oaks Blvd., Carmichael
* Sierra Pointe, 5161 Foothills Blvd., Roseville
* Summerset Senior Living, 2341 Vehicle Dr., Rancho Cordova
* Sun Oak Senior Living, 7241 Canelo Hills Dr., Citrus Heights
For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call (916) 920-2273 or (530) 885-3904.