Staying Connected - Bridging Digital Gaps

In 2022 the digital and physical worlds are almost indistinguishable yet many individuals are having difficulties staying connected. This four-part course provides accessible training for aging adults and those who want to participate in their digital community but lack technological skills. The course consists of the following parts

1. Devices(Desktop, Mobile and Tablet),

2. Email, Apps

3. Websites, Internet and

4. Social networks

As technology continues to rapidly expand many aging adults are being left behind. This was made extremely prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many aging adults want to join and be part of online communities. However, many are intimidated or overwhelmed with technological barriers. Aging adults have even created digital accounts but are underutilizing their digital resources. This is not due to their lack of interest but rather lack of know-how and tech-savviness.

According to the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), nearly 3 out of 4 Canadians spend at least 3 to 4 hours online each day. These experiences can be very positive if there is ease of use and the complete opposite if not. Adults 55+ are surfing the Internet using mobile devices. Their use has drastically increased from 24% to 57% between 2015-2019 and continues to grow. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world forever and the impacts of it will continue to show their ripples. One of these changes are the rapid technological advancements; pair this with the sudden rise in use and you've got a recipe that leaves aging adults vulnerable to being left out of the conversation. "Older adults are experts in their lived experiences and can identify the potential barriers to technology adoption and use.” - Shengzhi Wang This age-friendly four-part workshop teaches all the fundamentals of digital platforms, websites, social networks and email/apps.

This project was supported in part by a Centre on Aging University of Manitoba Age-Friendly University Initiative Fund 2021-2022

Age-Friendly Hub on the UManitoba website