Health care isn’t the only thing that senior citizens are worried about in the upcoming 2008 election. Residents of the Foxdale Village, a retirement community in State College, Pa., are unsettled about the war in Iraq, the energy policy and oil consumption, among other things.

Resident Don Sherman, 90, said, “ I believe we should have health care like they do in other countries, like Canada or France.” The health care benefits in Canada cost less than what some people pay in America. In 2000, the World Health Organization ranked Canada’s health system costs at number 30, compared to the United States, which is ranked at number 37.

“I also think the government should do a better job in protecting the insurance industry,” said Sherman. Insurance was also an important issue for residents.

Another subject that was common among the residents was the ongoing war in Iraq. A few people said that they wanted a president who could help the country get out of the war. Jenifer Goetz, 79, said, “ I want a president that has brains, integrity and values. Someone who can think on their feet, and isn’t ‘power hungry’.”

Both Barack Obama and John McCain have outlined their plans for the presidency.

Obama has discussed protecting and honoring seniors. Two ways that he plans to make that happen is to guarantee heating assistance and support senior volunteer efforts. He will help fund the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which is a program that helps pay for senior’s winter heating and summer cooling bills.

McCain has developed plans of his own that he believes will work. One plan is to create the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly or (PACE), in which senior citizens are given a monthly salary, which they can use to hire workers and buy care-related services and goods.

Dorothy Cromshaw of Allport, Pa., 86, said, “ I hope my long term care does get better, maybe the PACE program will help.”

Carol Gold of State College Pa., 63, said, “I don’t trust McCain as far as I see him.”

Obama hopes to continue the volunteer efforts of some senior citizens and get more of them involved in programs such as Senior Corps. This is a program for individuals over 55, and it offers different opportunities to volunteer in various fields.

Additional concerns for some people were the resources that we have in America such as oil. Regina Storaska, a visitor to Penn State, said, “ I think Senator Obama would be open to using others energy resources.”

One of the plans that Obama would like to establish is the Path to Oil Independence. This strategy will reduce oil consumption by at least 35 percent, or 10 million barrels per day, which will preserve the earth’s natural resources.

McCain has developed views as well. His website says, “John McCain believes that we are vested with a sacred duty to be proper stewards of the resources upon which the quality of American life depends, Americans solve problems.”

Mike Gerber of Mingoville, Pa., said, “ Both candidates ideas are not bad, I’ll just wait to see what happens.”