“AGEnts for Change: Engaging Latino and Asian American Older Adults in Political Advocacy

With the beginning of the retirement of the Baby Boomers, there is a perception that this cohort of older adults will be more politically savvy in drawing political attention to their needs then previous generations of older adults However, this popular understanding of the well-educated politically engaged older adult fails to recognize how little we know about low income minority immigrant older adults engage politically to advocate for their needs. This presentation examines the obstacles that Latino and Asian American older adults face in their attempts to engage politically and an intervention. "AGEnts of Change" that helped to foster pathways for pathways to political advocacy. Data were collected over a one year-period on 50 Asian American and Latino older adults (age 65 and over). Face-to-face surveys and focus groups were conducted with the older adult. Data were independently coded by at least two researchers. The thematic patterns include obstacles such as language barriers, lack of awareness of how to engage in electoral politics, cultural attitudes about political involvement and social isolation. Strategies to encourage political advocacy included education on social media such as computer training, increasing awareness of local politics, and encouraging intergenerational involvement of the families and friends of these older adults. Enhancing the pathways to political participation of immigrant older adults ultimately contributes to the quality of life and empowerment of these individuals.