Seniors Get Wired and Chase the Mouse

by Patti L. Bell

IBM retiree Bill Bumpas serves as a volunteer instructor in the Seniors Training Seniors Computer Basics class. Also pictured are Frances Asano and Joan Mitchell, participants in the 55+ Employment Resource Center through The Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens.

Congratulations! You are already "wired" because you are reading the Seniors Digest e-magazine online. Those of us who are comfortable using e-mail and searching the Internet forget just how much information is no longer published the old-fashioned way.  How many times have you said to someone, "send me an e-mail" or "it's on the Web," without realizing they don't have any idea what you mean?  

Maybe you have someone in your family or circle of friends who isn't "wired" because they think it isn't necessary, think they are too old to learn, tried it once and the class was too darn fast, or are afraid they won't understand a doggone thing.  If you know someone like this, or would like to increase your skills yourself, read on!

The Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens, a subdivision of the Seattle Human Services Department, offers a unique and fun program called Seniors Training Seniors in Computer Basics. Senior volunteer instructors at 10 training sites throughout Seattle gently lead persons 55 and older into the new world of technology. Classes range from Computer Basics (mouse skills, e-mail and Internet) to Intermediate Basics, Introduction to Word Documents, Introduction to Excel and Photo Editing. 

With only six students in a class, one lead instructor and an assistant, our students have fun learning why computer skills are important today and about the digital universe that is now open to them. The computer-savvy seniors who volunteer as instructors enjoy watching their peers move from absolute beginners to getting the hang of it all.

Seniors Training Seniors in Computer Basics students have ranged in age from 55 to 90. They come from all walks of life and a variety of cultures. Their reasons for coming vary. They want to... 

• re-connect with friends and family who only use e-mail now
• find the best resources for prescriptions, travel, purchases, and services
• expand their mental well-being by being part of today's world
• update skills to return to the workforce.

Seniors Training Seniors in Computer Basics volunteers take great joy in helping each student step across "the digital divide." With humor, patience and persistence, the volunteer trainers make sure the experience of learning something new is a good one.

For more information...

To learn more about Seniors Training Seniors in Computer Basics classes, or to volunteer as a trainer, contact Patti-Lyn Bell, Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens, at (206) 684-0639 or patricia.bell@seattle.gov or visit the Seniors Training Seniors in Computer Basics website.

Patti L. Bell is Programs Manager for the Mayor's Office for Senior Citzens