Holiday Program Helps Lackawanna County Seniors Struggling With Poverty and Loneliness

Be a Santa to a Senior^®, the popular campaign that in last year delivered more than 1,800 gifts to local needy seniors, is being planned again this holiday season as older adults continue to face financial challenges and loneliness.

Janet Zaleski, Oakwood Terrace and Jessica Engel,

Home Instead Senior Care prepare gifts for local seniors

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, is joining Compassionate Care Hospice, Gino Merli Veterans’ Center, Golden Living Center, Highland Manor, Meals on Wheels of NEPA, Oakwood Terrace, and Serving Seniors, Inc. together with Abington Community Library, Geisinger Community Medical Center, Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, Keystone College, Marshalls, Peebles, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart to provide gifts and companionship to seniors who otherwise might not receive either.

“Seniors faced with medical bills and the escalating cost of living typically find they have little or nothing left at the end of the year,” said Bob Vielee, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Lackawanna County. “That’s not the only issue, though. Worries become magnified for so many living alone with no one to share their problems.”

Here’s how to help these struggling seniors: Pick up ornaments with the first names of seniors and their gift requests from Christmas trees, located at:

·         Abington Community Library (1200 W Grove Street, Clarks Summit)

·         Marshalls (1118 Commerce Boulevard, Dickson City)

·         Peebles (89 Brooklyn Street, Carbondale and State Routes 435 & 502, Moscow)

·         Walgreens (330 S. Main Street, Scranton)

·         Wal-Mart (900 Commerce Boulevard, Dickson City)

Jessica Engel, Home Instead Senior Care and a 2011
Be a Santa to a Senior gift recipient.

The trees will be up now through December 10. Buy the item(s) on the list and return it unwrapped to the store, along with the ornaments attached. A gift-wrapping party, hosted by the Sports Management and Recreation Team at Keystone College, will be held at the school on December 12.

“Helping a needy older adult can bring joy to the giver as well as the receiver – it does make a difference,” Vielee said.

For more information about the program, visit www.beasantatoasenior.com or call Jessica Engel at 570-687-4755.