By John C. O'Connell
"More than a third of the residents of the Bristal," Cannon reports, "retirees who have lived through a World War, the Great Depression, the Cold War and the Cuban missile crisis, say that terrorism is the most dangerous era they have experienced in their lifetime." No other time in the past 90 years was cited by as many respondents as being the most dangerous.
As fearful as many residents are of terrorism, however, half the survey respondents said that America will successfully withstand the risk of future attacks.
With the wisdom that often comes with so many decades of experience, the survey respondents had interesting insights into the country's past, present and future.
Looking back
Some 72 percent of those responding to the survey commissioned by the Bristal named Franklin Roosevelt as the nation's greatest president. Truman, Nixon, Reagan and Clinton were each named the best by 7 percent.
"Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a brilliant man," said Alice Roemer, a former resident of Lawrence. "He guided our nation out of the Depression and implemented his New Deal, which changed my life and everyone else coming of age during my day."
Former Hewlett resident Gertrude Alpern agreed with Roemer about Roosevelt. "FDR found a way to pull America up by her bootstraps," Alpern said.
And further along the path of history, said former Brooklyn resident Ruth Gilgoff, "Ronald Reagan was a moral compass who found a peaceful way to end the Cold War and to topple the Berlin Wall."
The most disappointing presidents, according to survey participants, were Herbert Hoover, who presided over the economic difficulties that led to the Depression, and Dwight Eisenhower, who was chided for doing little during his presidency. And 7 percent said they were most disappointed by the truths we learned about our leaders ranging from FDR to Clinton.
Recalling the 1939 World's Fair, 29 percent said they thought they'd be living in a world outlined by the dreams presented during that exhibition in Queens, on the eve of world war.
Dangerous days
More than one-third of respondents say the present is the most dangerous era that they have lived in. "My family survived the Depression, my friends came back from WWII, and somehow our nation remained whole in the aftermath of Vietnam," said Helen Lenetsky, a former resident of Queens Village, "but I never dreamed that Sept. 11 could ever happen."
Some 37 percent of the respondents said that the rise of terrorism makes the present the most dangerous period in American history. From personal experience, 14 percent said the Depression was the most dangerous era, and others singled out WWII and Vietnam. Only 7 percent felt that the never-ending troubles in the Middle East, the Cold War or the Cuban missile crisis provided a great danger to the nation's security.
So many changes
"When I went to Hunter College, we never dreamed that computers would ever become part of our life," said former Manhattan resident Roslyn Levine. "Now the world of the young is all about computers, technology and the Internet."
Some 43 percent of respondents cited technological advances as having the greatest impact on American society. Twenty-nine percent said the Social Security Act provided a safety net that altered the fabric of American life. Seven percent said American society was forever changed when the birth-control pill became easily available. And 7 percent said the civil rights legislation of the 1960s made us a better country.
Disappointed
The survey also found that 36 percent of the respondents feel that their biggest disappointment is that science has not found a way to arrest the aging process.
"I thought by the time I got to be this old they would have figured out a way to make it so much easier, but they haven't," said former Wantagh resident Dorothy Siegel. "With all the incredible things I've witnessed in my life, I really thought they'd find a way to stop aging and make us older people feel better. But the human body cannot be fooled."
Beyond the horizon
Only 7 percent of those responding to the survey felt the future would be brighter for America, while 36 percent said they were less confident about our future. However, 50 percent said Americans always find a way to overcome the impossible, and they are confident that today's young people will be able to live the American dream.
The Bristal offers a variety of activities for residents based on their personal preferences, hobbies and interests. Exercise, arts and crafts, book clubs, shopping trips and cultural outings are regularly scheduled. With a cinema, library, billiards parlor and fitness center, residents can enjoy themselves in the comfort of the Bristal community.
The newest Bristal facility, in North Woodmere, reflects the highly valued attributes of similar Bristal communities in East Meadow and Westbury, including a highly regarded program for those with Alzheimer's. The Bristal at North Woodmere has 99 assisted-living suites and 30 additional suites in the Reflections area that are dedicated to providing care for residents with Alzheimer's and other memory impairments. It provides an environment that allows individuals to maintain their dignity while helping families to be free of the enormously draining role of primary caregiver.
For information on The Bristal Assisted Living Communities, call Ellen Antonucci at (516) 336-2600 or visit www.thebristal.com.
