Seniors' Economic Struggles Continue This Holiday; Santa Program Provides Assistance

Seniors' Economic Struggles Continue This Holiday; Santa Program Provides Assistance

Be a Santa to a Senior®, the popular campaign that has delivered 1.5 million gifts to needy seniors throughout North America during the past seven years, again is helping older adults cope in tough economic times.

The area office of the Home Instead Senior Care® network, the world's largest provider of non-medical in-home care and companionship services for older adults, has partnered with Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, Joslyn Adult Center Burbank, Glendale Senior Services, Partners in Care, Glendale Salvation Army, Burbank Vintage Senior Living and Burbank Town Center Mall, Belmont Village of Burbank, Curves Burbank (East), Curves Burbank (West), Curves Glendale, Curves Montrose, Burbank YMCA, Crescenta-Canada YMCA, Michelle Bouse's Beauty Boutique, and Williams Chiropractic to provide gifts and companionship to seniors who otherwise might not receive either this holiday season.

"Many older adults continue to struggle in a down economy, particularly those who live alone with no family nearby to help provide resources," said Gary Reid, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Burbank, Glendale, and Toluca Lake. Seniors have faced a trying year amid the threat of Social Security payment delays as part of the debt-ceiling debate. What's more, seniors have lost almost one-third (32 percent) of their buying power since 2000, according to the Annual Survey of Senior Costs from The Senior Citizens League (TSCL).

That's where Be a Santa to a Senior can help. Before the holiday season, the participating local nonprofit organizations will identify needy and isolated seniors and provide those names to the local Home Instead Senior Care office. Christmas trees, which will go up in (see tree locations below) on November 15 through December 14 will feature ornaments with the first names only of the seniors and their gift requests.

Holiday shoppers can pick up an ornament, buy items on the list and return them unwrapped to the store, along with the ornament attached. "We hope holiday shoppers will open their hearts to those seniors who have given so much to make our community a better place," Reid said.

For more information about the program, visit www.beasantatoasenior.com.

Tree Locations:

Burbank Town Center Mall
201 East Magnolia
Burbank, CA

Belmont Village of Burbank
455 E. Angeleno Ave.
Burbank, CA 91501

Curves Burbank (West)

940 W. Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA

Curves Glendale
1010 Glendale Ave. #003
Glendale, CA

Michelle Bouse's Beauty Boutique
4110 W. Riverside Dr.
Burbank, CA

Williams Chiropractic
2811 W. Olive Ave.
Burbank, CA

YMCA Burbank
321 East Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA

YMCA Crescenta-Canada
1930 Foothill Blvd.
Glendale, CA

Be a Santa to a Senior! Gift Requests Expected to Increase This Holiday as Economic Slump Continues

Be a Santa to a Senior! Gift Requests Expected to Increase This Holiday as Economic Slump Continues


Be a Santa to a Senior®, the popular campaign that has delivered 1.2 million gifts to needy seniors in the past six years, is gearing up again this holiday season during a time when seniors may need more of the bare necessities to survive.


 The Home Instead Senior Care® offi ce serving Burbank and Glendale has joined Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital, Joslyn Adult Center of Burbank, and others to pro-vide presents to seniors who otherwise might not receive a gift this holiday season.


Program sponsors expect gift requests to be up this year as the economic downturn continues and Social Security benefi ts fail to keep pace with daily living expenses. 


“Most people aren’t aware that there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of seniors in every community who have no family and are alone,” said Gary Reid, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care offi ce serving Burbank and Glendale. “What’s more, this holiday season fi nds many older adults struggling to make ends meet.”


Prior to the holiday season, the par-ticipating local non-profi t organizations identify needy and isolated seniors in the community and provide those names to Home Instead Senior Care. Christmas trees, which will go up in local businesses on November 15th, feature ornaments with the fi rst names of the 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, with the ornament attached. Volunteers will then collect, wrap and deliver the gifts to area seniors. 


Burbank tree locations include Curves locations at 1090 San Fernando Rd. and 940 W. Alameda Ave.; Burbank Town Center, 201 E. Magnolia Blvd.; Burbank YMCA, 321 East Magnolia; Williams Chiropractic, 2811 W. Olive; Vintage Senior Living, 2721 Willow St.; as well as Michelle Bouse’s Boutique, 2110 Riverside Dr., Toluca Lake.


For more information about the program, call 818.843.8688 or log on to Be A Santa To A Senior 

How to Help the Elderly at Christmas

The holiday season is a busy time as individuals rush about shopping for gifts, cooking tasty treats and 

spending time with their family.  Often overlooked during the Christmas holiday season are elderly

individuals and shut-ins. Their holidays can be lonely and depressing as distance prevents them from 

spending time with their family and physical limitations stop them from doing traditional holiday activities. 

However, you can be a bright spot for them during the holidays.

• Spend time with them. Elderly individuals are often lonely due to the fact they have little interaction with others during the day. Many elderly people just enjoy conversing with others, and you stopping by just to chat can make their day.
• Bring them holiday goodies or gifts. Everyone enjoys receiving presents or goodies and the elderly are no different. Making something or purchasing a gift is a great way to show an elderly individual that you care about them and they haven't been forgotten.
• Offer assistance in decorating their house for the holidays. Although many elderly individuals would like to have a Christmas tree or lights on their house to enjoy for the holidays, they don't due to the physical limitations of their body. You can help them get what they want by offering to assist them in decorating their house. However, you must remember to help them take down decorations after the holidays as well since they won't be able to do it by themselves and may be too afraid to ask you.
• Take them with you to holiday activities. Many elderly individuals enjoy getting out to experience some of the holiday activities and traditions, yet they don't want to go alone. If you and your family are attending a holiday musical production or just driving around your neighborhood to look at Christmas lights invite an elderly friend or neighbor along to enjoy it with you.
• Assist them with holiday shopping. One of the best ways to help an elderly individual during the holiday season is to help them with their holiday shopping. Almost all elderly people have family that they will exchange gifts with during the holidays, thus they will need to do some shopping which can be intimidating due to the crowds and traffic. You can make their holiday shopping experience pleasant by offering to take them and be of assistance.