Nursing home asks Cenla community to ‘Be a Santa to a Senior’

ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - Since 2003, Home Instead nursing home has made sure seniors in their care receive Christmas gifts, and they need help from the Cenla community.

This year, Home Instead is asking the community to “Be a Santa to a Senior,” by getting an ornament with the Christmas list of one of the seniors and purchasing the items on the list.

These ornaments can be found at the Home Instead facility on Parliament Drive, Southern Fellas Barber Shop on Texas Ave, the Realty Company of Louisiana in Pineville, and the Book Nook in Ball.

“It just asks for some basic things that they’re wanting,” said Home Instead owner Kasandra Potito. “It’s not a lot, some of them just ask for a blanket, some socks, maybe some pajamas. Just some nice things for them to have, some things that maybe we can get whenever we need them, but these are things that they aren’t able to get and they don’t have.”

With the COVID pandemic limiting visitors for the last two years, Potito explained why it’s more important than ever to keep seniors in mind this Christmas.

“People are just not going and visiting the nursing home, they’re not going to visit the elderly like we should,” said Potito. “They feel as if they don’t mean anything anymore, it’s actually just the opposite. They mean everything to us, that is our history, they’re able to give so much. If you just sit there and talk with them and listen, they can inspire you on so many levels. So, that’s what we want to do. We want to let them know that they do matter, and they are important to us.”

It’s a little gift that can go a long way. It’s something special the seniors won’t forget. Potito noted that in the past, presents that came with a note from the gift giver were extra special for the senior recipient.

“They are amazed, some of them cry because it’s just that simple act of kindness that means so much to them,” said Potito.

Santas in the community have until Dec. 10 to drop their gifts off at the Home Instead facility at 4012 Parliament Drive in Alexandria.

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