Brighten Your Day

A Simple Way To Let Lonely Seniors Know They're Loved This Christmas

December 21, 2018

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 50 percent of nursing home residents have no close relatives, and 46 percent have no living children.

An estimated 60 percent of nursing home residents never have visitors.

These statistics inspired Stacey Wood of Glens Falls, NY, to make a difference this holiday season.

"My wife found out that 60% seniors in nursing homes have no visitors and get nothing for Christmas," Wood's husband wrote on Reddit. "So she held a small fundraiser and put together 61 gift bags for a local nursing home. Each bag contains chapstick, lotion, tissues, a word search book a pen, and a blanket."

Credit: u/CarbonReflections on Reddit

Caring about the well-being of others is not just a Christmas concern for Stacey. This is something she does all year round.

"At the beginning of the school year we fill backpacks for local school kids whose families can't afford their school supplies. At Easter, we put together Easter baskets and deliver them to those in the local hospital that can't be home on the holiday with their family. And at Christmas we try to adopt a family and make their Christmas a little brighter," Stacey told Sunny Skyz.

This year she partnered with Thirty-One to help get bags sponsored for senior citizens in nursing homes that have no one that comes to see them. A $10 donation purchases two "Blessing Bags".

The team has collected 533 Blessing Bags that will be delivered to 5 different nursing homes in the area.

"The bags that I filled are being delivered to the Fort Hudson nursing home this afternoon and the local Girl Scouts are attending to sing Christmas Carols while they are distributed," she said.

Stacey also set up a GoFundMe page for people who would like to donate to help reach even more people.

"The responses I'm seeing of how it has inspired others to go do the same makes my heart so happy," Stacey said about her husband's Reddit post. "All too often the spirit of Christmas seems to be lost and knowing that a few more people will get some happiness brought to them makes it all the more worth it."

If this is something you are interested in doing on your own, contact your local nursing home for a list of approved items before making any purchases!