Home Instead Senior Care's "Be a Santa to a Senior" Program Helped Seniors This Holiday Season

The Trumbull office of Home Instead Senior Care participated in the popular Be a Santa to a Senior, the nationwide campaign that has delivered 1.5 million gifts to needy seniors throughout North America during the past seven years to help older adults cope in tough economic times. The Home Instead Senior Care network is the world's largest provider of non-medical in-home care and companionship services for older adults. For the second year in a row, St. Vincent's Special Needs joined us in providing gifts and companionship to seniors who otherwise would not have received either this holiday season.

Home Instead Senior Care provides more than 60 different services including companionship, meal preparation, light housework, medication reminders, incidental transportation, errands and shopping. CAREGivers are screened, bonded and insured, and have successfully completed criminal background checks. the company has in excess of 65,000 CAREGivers in more than 950 offices in 15 countries and 16 markets.

"Many older adults continue to struggle in a down economy, particularly those who live alone with no family nearby to help provide resources," said Robert Massafra, co-owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving seniors and their families in 33 towns throughout northern Fairfield, southern Litchfield and northwest New haven Counties. "Seniors have faced a trying year with the threat of Social Security payment delays as part of the debt-ceiling debate. Seniors have also 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)."

Prior to the 2012 holiday season, participating local area nonprofit organizations identified needy and isolated seniors and provided those names to the local Home Instead Senior Care office. A Christmas tree was set up at 101 Merritt Blvd, Trumbull and featured ornaments with the first names only of the seniors and their gift requests. Holiday shoppers picked up ornaments, bought the list items and returned them unwrapped to the office, 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," explained Massafra.

For more information on how you can participate next year in the "Be a Santa to a Senior", visit www.beasantatoasenior.com. To learn more about the Home Instead Senior Care office is located at 101 Merrittt Boulevard, Suite 22 in Trumbull, CT, call 203-386-1151 or visit www.homeinstead.com/307