Be a Santa to a Senior

There are many programs to brighten the holiday season for needy children and families. However, did you know that there is a program to help isolated and needy Seniors? Home Instead Senior Care started the "Be a Santa to a Senior" program in 2006 and it is now nationwide. Home Instead Senior Care partners with local non-profit and community organizations to identify seniors who might not otherwise receive gifts this holiday season. The company then works with local businesses and retail stores to help facilitate the purchase and distribution of gifts by placing trees and ornaments with the Seniors' requests. Since the program started, they have provided 1.2 million gifts to 700,000 Seniors. You can do a zip code search to find organizations in your community that participate in this program. Here is a video describing this program:

Make a Wish Programs for Seniors

You have probably heard of the Make a Wish Foundation, which helps children with life threatening illnesses, but did you know there are similar organizations that help low income older adults? Jeremy Bloom's Wish of a Lifetime Foundation grants lifelong wishes to Seniors who "have overcome tremendous challenges in their lives". This foundation was started by Olympic skier and former NFL player Jeremy Bloom and it now fulfills wishes for Seniors throughout the United States. The following video shows highlights from one wish: a trip for two dozen World War II and Korean War veterans from Ohio to see the World War II and Korean War Memorials in Washington, DC.



For more information about applying for a wish or about supporting this Foundation, click here 

The Twilight Wish Foundation is similar organization, which was founded in 2003. It has 13 chapters in 12 states (including Florida), which have fulfilled 1275 wishes in people in 35 states. One unique aspect of the Twilight Wish Foundation is their Inter-generational Caring Programs which bring students, clubs, and schools together to make wishes come true. For more information about this charity, please click here.

The Forever Young Senior Wish Organization in Collierville, TN wants to "change the image of aging and redefine it with self-confidence, respect, and a fun-filled life." This organization has fulfilled wishes from celebrating a 100th birthday, to family reunions, to getting an electric wheelchair. For more information on this organization, please click here.

New Search Engine for Older Adults

Sunmee Huh, a high school student has recently designed a user friendly search engine for older adults and people with low vision. This search engine is called Good50 and it has many useful features:

• a large search box
• on-screen zoom
• fewer ads (only ads on the side, not the top of the page)
• a high contrast version is available for people with low vision
• safe search is on to prevent explicit content

This search engine also raises money for charities - it donates 5 cents to a charity for every 50 visits to the site. Previous charities include Meals on Wheels and the American Red Cross. Ms. Huh designed the website to help her grandfather search the internet. For more information about Good50 and Sunmee Huh, please click here for a Washington Post article about the website.

Here is a video introducing Good50 from Sunmee Huh: