Letters of Love to Uplift Seniors

Assisted Living Locators Encourages People To Write “Letters of Love” To Help Fight Senior Loneliness During COVID-19

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – March 26, 2020 – Assisted Living Locators, a leading nationwide senior placement and referral service, is partnering with Love For The Elderly, a non-profit organization that mails handwritten letters to seniors, to encourage people to write “Letters of Love” to uplift seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assisted Living Locators, a free senior placement and referral business, will mobilize its 130 franchisees in 36 states and the District of Columbia to reach out to thousands of families in their communities asking for handwritten letters to mail to senior facilities. The Love for the Elderly’s “Letters of Love” program collects and mails cards and letters to senior communities across the globe to help fight loneliness.

The CDC, the World Health Organization, and the Surgeon General have indicated that there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is being spread through the mail.

“With COVID-19 reaching pandemic levels and our seniors being one of the most vulnerable to the disease, many states have ordered lockdowns or issued shelter-in-place guidelines,” said Angela Olea, Assisted Living Locators CEO, RN. “Social distancing has led older adults living in long-term care facilities to be isolated from their loved ones. It’s extremely important to ensure residents are positively engaged and supported during COVID-19. We’re asking for kind, handwritten letters to mail to bring comfort to seniors. Just take 5 minutes and write a letter of love to a stranger.”

“Handwritten is for a bedside table; handwritten is for re-reading when you need it; handwritten is for sharing with others,” explained Jacob Cramer, Founder and Executive Director of Love for the Elderly. “During this scary, uncertain time, we’re looking for handwritten love in the form of letters and for senior facilities to receive them. Help us fight loneliness with love for our seniors!”

“While school is out, this is a perfect opportunity for families to bridge the gap between young and old,” Olea added. “By writing a letter, your child can connect with these special people and bring a smile to their faces. It’s a great way to demonstrate the power of inter-generational solidarity during these extraordinary times.”

Before sending your letter, Love for the Elderly has these guidelines:

1. Letters must be legible (large print) and handwritten. No worries if you’re not artistic—make your card what you’d like to receive.
2. Avoid religion. Please refrain from including anything religious in your letters, such as religious quotes, words like “God,” etc.
3. Exclude the date (day, month, and year).
4. Embrace creativity! Recipients love it when the letters are personal. We encourage you to make your letters detailed, thoughtful, and heartfelt.
5. Be kind and thoughtful (more than talking about yourself). This is a one-way letter exchange, meaning you will not receive a letter back, so remember that no reciprocation attached is part of the beauty of your act of kindness, and the recipients don’t feel burdened by feeling obligated or being unable to respond.
6. Envelope your letters if you can! If you’re sending more than one letter, leave your enveloped letters unsealed and unstamped and put them in a larger envelope or box to send.
7. Share your act of kindness! On social media, tag #lettersoflove, #lovefortheelderly, and #assistedlivinglocators.
8. Send as many cards as you’d like! They accept letters year-round, so there’s no deadline for when you must send them.

“Letters of Love” can be mailed to:

Love For The Elderly
P. O. Box 24248
Cleveland, OH 44124, USA

For more information on Assisted Living Locators’ free senior placement and referral services, visit assistedlivinglocators.com, and to learn more about the mission and projects of Love for the Elderly, visit www.lovefortheelderly.org.

Media Contact: Rhonda Grundemann, 602-739-8810, rhonda@grundemanngroup.com