Carolyn Mosby signed up for technology classes with The Senior Source because she felt that she had become stagnant in her knowledge of technology and didn’t know how to use it properly. She didn’t want to carry that stigma.
“I took the class because I felt as if society, or everyone, knew something I didn’t know,” she says. So Mosby, who is in her 70s, took two classes to learn how to use Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, and she attended a seminar about artificial intelligence. She used the skills she learned to better serve a local organization where she volunteers, helping coordinate and plan events, executing large-scale communications and presenting on topics of interest. “I felt a degree of confidence that I didn’t initially have to do that,” she says.
The Senior Source, an agency that provides resources and services for older adults in Dallas, offers their free technology education classes in Spanish and English. The courses provide older adults with new skills while simultaneously creating an environment for connection. The agency is also the only licensed partner of AARP’s Senior Planet in the Dallas area, allowing The Senior Source to provide an even greater range of technology classes to older adults.
Getting the most out of technology
Adults aged 50 and older now own smartphones, tablets and similar devices at rates equal to or greater than all adults aged 49 and younger. But older adults have been feeling left behind when it comes to their digital literacy, with only 66% of adults 50 and older saying they feel it’s adequate, according to research from AARP.
For Mosby, the technology classes provided a comfortable environment where she could ask questions without judgment. “It gives [people] in my age group an outlet to feel at ease stating ‘I don’t know how to do that,’” she says.
The Senior Source provided classes to 1,114 older adults in 2023.
“We provide a supportive environment where learners of all levels, including beginners, can comfortably explore technology, with a tailored curriculum for older adults and skilled trainers that offer expertise and patience,” says Ignacio Aranda, technology trainer at The Senior Source.
The classes are richer and more robust than others offered in the area, and they cover a broader range of topics, such as how to use a smart TV or shop on Facebook Marketplace. Attendees can learn specific work related applications or use class sessions to enhance their resumes as they search for new jobs.
The courses can help seniors reduce their risk of falling victim to online scams, too. Older adults are often the target of digital fraud. In 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported a 14% increase in elder fraud complaints and an 11% increase in associated losses. By educating themselves about safe online practices — including protecting sensitive data and common frauds to look out for — seniors are empowered to engage with the digital world, confident they won’t be an easy target.
Acquiring essential tech skills for work
Roughly one in five American adults aged 65 and older were employed in 2023, Pew Research Center found, with Dallas among the top 10 cities in the United States with the highest labor force participation. For many of those who entered the workforce prior to the dot-com boom, the technologies used today have advanced far beyond those they used at the beginning of their careers.
The Senior Source’s technology classes can help seniors acquire the tech skills they need to remain competitive and effective in their roles, and can increase enjoyment at work, too. The courses also give those who are semi-retired the ability to participate in the flexible gig economy, which includes jobs such as rideshare driver, short-term rental host or dog walker. Many of these services require a familiarity with smartphones and various applications.
Laptops and tablets are provided for use in most classes; for courses that require the use of smartphones, however, attendees must bring their own. For those who are actively seeking jobs, The Senior Source offers computer lab sessions where they can use the organization’s Wi-Fi and laptops (or bring their own) to work on resumes and cover letters, search job sites and submit applications. This is especially helpful for those who don’t have internet access at home.
Pursuing training in essential technological skills has countless benefits for older adults. Not only does it allow them to increase their quality of life by taking full advantage of helpful apps and high-tech conveniences, but it also provides an opportunity to meet others going through the same thing. “What The Senior Source offers is a social interaction,” Mosby says, noting that many class attendees are retirees. “We get to meet people that we didn’t know from other parts of the city and interact there.”
To learn more about the free technology classes offered by The Senior Source, visit their website: https://theseniorsource.org/classes-and-training/technology-education/.