Watch the video above: seniors at Jubilee residence were in for a surprise on Monday.
SASKATOON – It’s one of the most wonderful days of the year for children and families, but Christmas can be lonely for some of our elderly.
Dorothy Williamson, 91, is celebrating her first Christmas at Jubilee long term care residence. She loves her new home but this Christmas will be much different from ones she has celebrated with family in the past.
“I had two boys and a daughter, they’re all passed away” said Williamson. “My parents are long gone. I’m the only one left really.”
The ‘Be a Santa to a Senior’ program is once again making sure nobody is forgotten during the holidays.
Dozens of volunteers went to Jubilee residences on Monday to deliver gifts to select seniors.
Staff at the care home selected Williamson to be part of the ‘Be a Santa to a Senior’ program through process of elimination and the look one her face when a mother and her daughter gave her a bag filled with candies, chocolates, soap and crossword puzzles spoke volumes to the success of the program.
“We put together a list of who might be our most needy or most lonely seniors” said Wes Funk, the recreation worker at Jubilee.
Funk says making the list was difficult since many seniors feel lonely or isolated at this time of year. Once the seniors are selected, staff, who know them well, make a list of things they’d like. The lists are given to Home Instead Senior Care who heads the program.
Senior’s names and wish lists are written on paper ornaments and hung on trees throughout the city. One by one, those names were plucked from the trees as the public reached out to gift the city’s elderly.
“We had a goal of about 200 gifts and we ended up with about 400” said Greg Charyna, owner of Home Instead Senior Care and organizer of the program. Charyna says he’s hoping to expand the program next year, gifting every senior in home care in Saskatoon.
Charyna estimates that to be about 1,200 residents and admits it’s a lofty goal but after the response this year, he feels it’s achievable.
All items gifted are personalized. A woman who used to be in a band received a stuffed penguin who sings Christmas carols. A stylishly dressed resident received a punchy pink lipstick. The volunteer delivery Santa’s happily applied it to her lips.
But the greatest gift isn’t what’s in the bag, it’s the companionship during delivery that is most cherished – and of course the goodies are an added and appreciated bonus.
“It’s very important to give but in a sense not everybody can so it’s nice to receive too” said Williamson with a chuckle.
This is the fourth year the ‘Be a Santa to a Senior’ program has taken place in Saskatoon.
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