With so many older adults living alone and in poverty, some Sacramento and surrounding area seniors will undoubtedly be struggling to make ends meet this holiday season. That’s why the area Home Instead Senior Care® office has partnered with retailers and community organizations to make sure isolated seniors receive gifts and companionship through the Be a Santa to a Senior® program.
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“Seniors faced with medical bills and the high cost of living can find they have little left at the end of the year,” said Buck Shaw, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Nevada Counties.. “That’s not the only issue, though. Personal needs may become magnified for so many living alone with no one to share their problems.”
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 9 percent of U.S. seniors 65 and older are living in poverty and 27 percent are widowed.*
With the support of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Meals on Wheels by ACC, Sacramento Older Adult Collaborative, area retailers, volunteers and members of the community, the local Home Instead Senior Care office will collect and distribute gifts to seniors who might otherwise spend the holiday alone.
The Be a Santa to a Senior program will kick off NOW and run through Dec. 24. Christmas trees, which will go up in see tree locations below, will feature ornaments with the first names of the seniors and their respective gift requests.
Holiday shoppers are asked to pick up an ornament off special Be a Santa to a Senior Christmas trees, buy items on the list and return them unwrapped to the store, along with the ornament attached. The Home Instead Senior Care office will then enlist the volunteer help of its staff, senior-care business associates, non-profit workers and others to collect, wrap and distribute the gifts.
“Be a Santa to a Senior is another way to say ‘thank you’ to the many seniors who have made such important contributions to our community throughout the years,” Shaw said. “Helping a needy older adult can bring fulfillment to the giver as well as the receiver – it does make a difference,” he added.
For more information about the program, visit www.beasantatoasenior.com or call 916-920-2273..
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*U.S. Census Bureau;
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb12-ff07.html
Tree Locations:
Chateau At Rivers Edge
641 Feature Drive
Sacramento, CA
Community 1st Bank
2250 Douglas Blvd. Ste 190
Roseville, CA
Crosswood Oaks
6650 Crosswoods Circle
Citrus Heights, CA
Emeritus Laguna
6727 Laguna Park Drive
Elk Grove, CA
Hewlitt Packard
8000 Foothills Blvd.
Roseville, CA
Primrose Special Alzheimer’s Living
7707 Rush River Drive
Sacramento, CA
River City Pharmacy
5491 Carlson Drive
Sacramento, CA
Sunrise Assisted Living of Carmichael
5451 Fair Oaks Blvd.
Carmichael, CA
Sunrise Assisted Living of Rocklin
6100 Sierra College Blvd.
Rocklin, CA
Sunrise Assisted Living of Sacramento
345 Munroe Street
Sacramento, CA
The Chateau on Capitol Avenue
2701 Capitol Avenue
Sacramento, CA
The Meadows Senior Living
9325 East Stockton Blvd.
Elk Grove, CA
Video Products Distributors
150 Parkshore Drive
Folsom, CA
Walgreen’s Locations:
Foothills and Main
3999 Foothills Blvd.
Roseville, CA
Hazel & Greenback
8900 Greenback Lane
Orangevale, CA
24th St. and Florin Avenue
7155 24th Street
Sacramento, CA
Bidwell and Clarksville
2595 East Bidwell Street
Folsom, CA
Dewey and Greenback
6144 Dewey Drive
Citrus Heights, CA
Eastern and Arden
4200 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA
Fair Oaks Blvd. and Marconi Avenue
6325 Fair Oaks Blvd.
Carmichael, CA
Freeport Blvd and Fruitridge Road
1919 Fruitridge Road
Sacramento, CA
Glenn Drive and Riley Street
1110 Riley Street
Folsom, CA
Howe Avenue and Arden Way
2201 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA
Jefferson and Capitol
1351 West Capitol Avenue
West Sacramento, CA
Park and Sunset
2177 Sunset Blvd.
Rocklin, CA
Sierra College & Douglas
4051 Douglas Blvd.
Granite Bay, CA
Sunrise and Greenback
6199 Sunrise Blvd.
Citrus Heights, CA
Twelve Bridges, Lincoln
700 Twelve Bridges Drive
Lincoln, CA
Florin Road and Riverside Blvd.
250 Florin Road
Sacramento, CA
Cameron Park and Palmer
4014 Plaza Goldorado Circle
Cameron Park, CA
Sunrise and Antelope
7787 Sunrise Blvd.
Citrus Heights, CA
Westfield Down Town Plaza
547 L Street
Sacramento, CA