Assisted Living Home Residents Get Informed and Vote in 2008 Election
Average Age of Residents is 82 to 85 years old
Lindsay Nielsen
Issue date: 11/10/08 Section: Voters
Nora is the Activities Director at the Atria Shaker Assisted Living Home in Albany. Nora estimated that more than 35 residents voted at the home this year, because they had their own polling, while 50 residents voted by absentee ballot. Some residents moved in and it was too late for them to register at the home.
Families of the residents were also involved in helping those who couldn’t register at Atria vote by bringing their family member to vote at the location they are registered. Nora reports the age range in the home to be between 42 and 101 years old, while the overall average age of residents is between 82 and 85 years old.
According to Nora more residents voted this election than the last. She said this election residents watched some of the debates and discussed the issues with each other as well as some staff members. The woman that comes in each day for current events also read the news articles about the election to them.
“If they wanted to be informed they were and they had the opportunity to be”, said Nora.
“Our staff brought up both strong and weak points of each candidate”, she said.
Channel 13 came to the Atria on Friday November 7th and interviewed some residents including two veterans. One of the republican veterans made it very clear who he voted for and why. A lot of the residents made it clear that they wouldn’t vote for Obama because he is an African American.
One gentleman even went so far as to say “It will be one cold day in hell before I vote a black man into the Whitehouse.”
Nora believes this is a huge contradiction because although the Atria does not have any African American residents they do have African American employees that take care of the residents who have made similar statements. Nora tried to ask them about it and tell them it’s not fair because they take care of you, so how can you say that.
Overall Nora concluded that many residents are set in their ways. They grew up in the Depression and race prejudice times. She said it’s a very interesting generation to work with.
Families of the residents were also involved in helping those who couldn’t register at Atria vote by bringing their family member to vote at the location they are registered. Nora reports the age range in the home to be between 42 and 101 years old, while the overall average age of residents is between 82 and 85 years old.
According to Nora more residents voted this election than the last. She said this election residents watched some of the debates and discussed the issues with each other as well as some staff members. The woman that comes in each day for current events also read the news articles about the election to them.
“If they wanted to be informed they were and they had the opportunity to be”, said Nora.
“Our staff brought up both strong and weak points of each candidate”, she said.
Channel 13 came to the Atria on Friday November 7th and interviewed some residents including two veterans. One of the republican veterans made it very clear who he voted for and why. A lot of the residents made it clear that they wouldn’t vote for Obama because he is an African American.
One gentleman even went so far as to say “It will be one cold day in hell before I vote a black man into the Whitehouse.”
Nora believes this is a huge contradiction because although the Atria does not have any African American residents they do have African American employees that take care of the residents who have made similar statements. Nora tried to ask them about it and tell them it’s not fair because they take care of you, so how can you say that.
Overall Nora concluded that many residents are set in their ways. They grew up in the Depression and race prejudice times. She said it’s a very interesting generation to work with.
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