“As an organisation we believe that our clients are a vibrant and important part of the community and that it is our duty to engage and support anyone who can and who wants to have their say in the democratic process by voting,” says Jewish Care CEO, Daniel Carmel-Brown.
“They have a lifetime of experiences and a wealth of acquired knowledge, and many are passionate about politics. Our care home residents are a vibrant and important part of our community and have helped to shape the world we live in today. The voice and right to engage in democracy shouldn’t be lost because people require extra care and support.”
Many of the care home residents vote by post and our staff are supporting those care home residents who wish to vote in person at the polling station, in person or by proxy on Election Day.
Residents from the Otto Schiff care home which is part of the Maurice & Vivienne Wohl Campus in Golders Green, went on the Jewish Care bus to the polling station Thursday, accompanied by our fantastic Social Care Coordinators, Danuta Krysiak and Leila Farah. Dinah, who turns 102 years old on Monday and Dorothea, 101, went together on the Care bus and Jack, 90, Hyman, 94 and Zara, who turns 101 years old in 11 days.
Zara, who is among the voters from the care home who are going on the Jewish Care bus, has already voted today. Zara says, “You must have a vote and must not miss it.”
Hyman, 94, was a telephone operator in the Royal Air Force in World War II, who also went to vote this morning, says, “I’ve always voted.”
Tomas Munoz, another of our amazing Social Care Co-ordinators who is at Jewish Care’s Sidney Corob House care home for people with mental illness, went along to the polling station this morning with Karen Waxman, who is a resident at the home.
Karen said, “It’s very important for me to vote because it shows that I have an individual opinion in the same way as everyone else and I have a right to express it.”
Across Jewish Care’s community centres, care homes and Retirement Living apartments, members, residents and tenants have been taking part in discussions about the general election, creating a space for people to share their views about what’s important and discuss what’s in different parties’ manifestos, as well as talking about past and present contributions of our members to politics and history.
