There is more than one way to spread holiday cheer this season, especially for seniors and veterans in need.
“The holidays are a tough time for many of our men. Very few of them have any type of family contact and for those with mental-health issues, the holidays can be a very stressful time where they experience increased anxiety,” said Cheryl Graham, administrator for The Marshall Home For Men, a nonprofit facility for elderly men with limited means.
The home, which has operated for 80 years, houses 45 men with a capacity for 52. The majority are 65-plus and many are veterans of World War II or the Korean, Vietnam and the Gulf wars.
“If we weren’t here, many of these men would be on the streets. ... Some come after they have been living on their own and are no longer physically able to care for themselves,” Graham said.
The facility provides rooms, three meals a day , housekeeping, laundry, 24/7 supervision and assistance with medications, transportation to appointments and other services. While some residents stay for a short time, others make it their permanent residence.
“This has become home for so many men and we try to go above and beyond in spite of the fact that we survive solely on what they can pay in rent and private donations,” Graham said.
Catalina Village
Another local facility in need of holiday cheer is Catalina Village, which provides housing for as many as 107 low-income seniors and disabled residents.
Catalina Village is the only assisted-living facility in Tucson dedicated exclusively to clients of the Arizona Long Term Care System, a program that serves indigent people at least 65 years old and those who are disabled. The facility provides individual apartments furnished simply with a bed, dresser, small refrigerator and microwave. Residents also receive three daily meals and case management.
Catalina Village life enrichment and social services director John Bartlett said residents generally arrive at the facility with few personal belongings, and their average disposable monthly income is about $100. The annual Wishing Tree, which is similar to an Angel Tree, offers them the opportunity to request much-needed items of clothing, necessities and gift cards.
“These are little things that the rest of us take for granted or don’t think about, and sometimes you just wonder. These people come from various backgrounds, and any of us could be in the same situation and have to learn to cope with the things they cope with if we had a big medical incident and didn’t have family to help us,” said Bartlett.
Armory Park Seniors
For more than 100 members of the Armory Park Senior Center in South Tucson, gift cards are also more than a stocking stuffer: They are Christmas dinner.
“ Most of the seniors we serve are low income and live strictly on Social Security, so Christmas is just like a regular day with no place to go.
“Our nonprofit Club One is sponsoring the drive and would like to give them each a $10 gift card so they can get together at Furr’s or Golden Corral and socialize with other members,” said Jerry Neely, center program coordinator.
