We increasingly have the power to use technology to help ourselves, by purchasing hearing aids online, using self-service checkout lines, navigating online Social Security portals and taking on-demand exercise classes, which can be overwhelming if you are not familiar using different forms of technology.
The good news is that you do not have to figure out things out on your own. There are community resources available offering individual lessons, group workshops on tech-related issues and technology device lending libraries, which allow you to explore before making the financial investment in your own device.
Your local senior center is a hub of resources, a community gathering spot and a locus of information sharing and support. Wayne Senior Center, serving older adults across the Main Line communities, is one of the community resources for those who are looking to explore technology.
After going virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic, the senior center made a commitment to embrace new technologies, through the creation of a virtual senior center mobile app and investing in a virtual reality platform for programming.
In 2022, the senior center expanded their staff to hire a digital navigator, dedicated to developing tech related programs and providing education and support for center members.
“Since the Center has embraced and expanded how we use technology, I’ve witnessed how the tech program has greatly enabled older adults to feel comfortable and empowered using tech,” said Margo Fine-Gabbay, the Center’s program director. “It’s become an integral part of the Center’s programs and will only continue to grow.”
In recent months, a center member utilized the tech help and workshops to develop the skills and confidence to navigate researching how to purchase over-the-counter hearing aids on their own.
Technology-related workshops at Wayne Senior Center have covered topics from smartphone basics, how to sell online through eBay and Facebook Marketplace, using podcasts and music apps, to even exploring AI.
The workshops, developed and led by the Center’s digital navigator, Francis Lyons, have even expanded to locations across the community.
Adults age 55+ can find the workshops and one-on-one tech assistance on the schedule at Radnor Memorial Library and Tredyffrin Public Library, as well as being held at the senior center.
In addition to the technology-related workshops, Wayne Senior Center offers technology instruction in the form of one-on-one tech help appointments, physical reference materials, virtual reality programs, an iPad lending library and a 24/7 virtual senior center.
Stop in or email Lyons for more information on technology instruction, [email protected]
About Wayne Senior Center
Since 1975, the Wayne Senior Center has led the effort to provide a place for older adults to have active friendships on the Main Line. The mission of the Wayne Senior Center is to provide community, friendship and resources which enrich the lives of older adults. Wayne Senior Center is located at 108 Station Road. For more information, visit www.wayneseniorcenter.org.