![]() There are a lot of components that go into making the Digital Dividends sessions accessible, says Program Manager Teresa Yao. “No matter who reaches old age at what time, what you consider to be old age, people are always going to need support.” “The important concept we try to get across is that people are always aging and technology's always progressing,” James Fuccione, the executive director at the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative, said in a Zoom interview. “It's extremely important because through computers you can send information to your family, your friends, your neighbors,” she said. Teresa Castro, a participant in the Spanish language class at Nuestra Comunidad, told GBH News through a translator that a lot of people told her she was too old to learn.Ĭastro said she’s really enjoyed connecting with others through technology. “I'm trying to be able to beat them at their own game.” When her grandkids come to visit, they’ll take hundreds of photos with silly filters on, like a mustache or a beard or a silly hairdo. “All they do is make fun of me, that I don't know how to use technology,” she joked. “In 2030, there'll be more people over 60 than under 18,” said Nikki Shults, executive director at Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, adding that she is hopeful the program will ease generational divides.Ī post shared by GBH News participants in the Digital Dividends program at Nuestra Comunidad this fall all had differing reasons for wanting to learn more about technology.įor Andrews, it was her grandchildren that motivated her digital learning journey. “So if we don't give that knowledge to the older community, it really creates a generational gap.” “Technology is something that changes throughout time, like every single day, and it's something that even we have difficulty keeping up with,” said Trevino. The intergenerational model of pairing college students with older adults also helps foster social connection between younger and older Boston residents, with a goal of increasing empathy between generations. The program just completed its fall session operating out of nine locations, during which they distributed 83 laptops. While the organization, which offers a wide array of intergenerational programs, was able to move its programming online, “There wasn't support in place to help folks who were not already online.”ĭigital Dividends was born out of those pandemic challenges. “It really brought into high belief how profound the digital divide was and is,” said Cynthia Wilkerson, program director of Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly. While efforts have been underway in the city to bridge the digital equity gap in Boston, the pandemic exacerbated existing digital access needs in the city. ![]() ![]() The class has helped older adults connect with loved ones over social media and FaceTime, use search engines safely, learn new languages through online applications and, of course, access digital entertainment through apps like Spotify and YouTube. The Digital Dividends course gives older adults access to a full technology kit - including a Chromebook, internet hotspot, chargers, a mouse and a coursework book - and partners them with local college students to support participants in their learning journey.Īnd it’s not just digital journals. This intergenerational tech literacy program is run three times a year by Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly. “I’ve wanted to know how to do this for so long,” she told Trevino. On a crisp fall day in Roxbury, Lana Andrews sat down in the community room at Nuestra Comunidad for what she calls “computer class.” Beside her, Northeastern student Paula Trevino helped her open a Google Doc to use as a digital journal.
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