Kerala's Elderly Up Their Technology Skills, Thanks To The 'Smart Seniors' Initiative!
A flurry of questions about Google searching, Facebook friending, WhatsApp forwarding and more shot from all corners of the hall at Karuna Communications office in Tripunithura by senior citizens, who use iPhone and Android phones.
A flurry of questions about Google searching, Facebook friending, WhatsApp forwarding and more shot from all corners of the hall at Karuna Communications office in Tripunithura by senior citizens, who use iPhone and Android phones.
The 'Smart Seniors' initiative by ResPublica Consulting and Karuna Communications for empowering and equipping senior citizens to master smartphone usage saw around 30 elderly lapping up every bit of information shared by the session conductor, Ajay John Gray.
"Everybody has smartphones with them, but they hardly know how to use it except to make a call. These are all retired people, whose lives would be made much easier if they are equipped with the knowledge to make bill payments and hiring cabs all by themselves. This is just an attempt to make them independent in using their own phones," Gray said.
The idea of technologically empowering senior citizens came from musician Ignatius P J seeking Gray's help for booking a cab to home from his office.
"My son was supposed to pick me up from the office, but when I called him, he said, 'It's easier for you to get a cab than me driving all the way up there now.' But I had no clue about how to book a cab though I had the app installed in my phone," Ignatius said.
Smartphone knowhow is must for a musician's work, according to Ignatius.
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"New generation music directors connect with singers and composers based in other cities by sending the track and lyrics over WhatsApp and other such medium.
However, we feel left out of that prowess just because we are not equipped with the technique to operate the gadgets in our hand. Sessions like these help us with the same," Ignatius said.
The session comprised demonstrating how to make simple Google searches, advantages and pitfalls of apps like Truecaller and similar apps for booking and cancelling cabs.
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G George, senior consultant with ResPublica said that though the kids and grandkids of the senior citizens have the knowledge to teach them the skillset needed for operating the gadgets, rarely they get time to do so.
"Here, all of them are on the same page and they don't feel any inhibition to ask about any doubts they have, which may not be the case when they seek help from their children," George said.
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Plans are afoot to extend the project with the help of young volunteers, who are willing to spare time for the cause of helping the elderly.
"We have been getting inquiries from various residents' associations asking if we could hold such sessions at their places as well. So, we will be on the lookout for youngsters to join us as volunteers," said Lisna Ismail, operations director, Respublica.
