Aarp joins with nonprofit to teach tech to older adults

ENGAGEMENT ERASES ISOLATION Senior Planet programs are designed to teach adults 60 and older basic computer skills — including how to start, stop, mute, skip ads and enlarge a YouTube video

— and more advanced options. Its interactive online classes, offered in English, Spanish and Chinese, are free to anyone of any age. About 50 classes are on the schedule each week. “A lot of

Latino adults aren’t up to date with technology. Some don’t even have internet access,” says Braulio "Brad" José Veloz Carvajal, a 73-year-old retiree in San Antonio who found out

about the Senior Planet classes through his membership in the Pride Center San Antonio. He knew how to use a computer but retired from his job at the Pentagon in 2003, so he wanted to learn

all about Google, Facetime and Zoom. “With what I learned, I was able to talk to my family in Corpus Christi and San Antonio. That made me so happy,” he said after the months of lockdown

because of the pandemic. “I hope Senior Planet teaches technologies that can provide a way to talk to other seniors in the Latino LGBT community and start support groups." Class

participants can decide to just listen, speak up with questions or type comments in the chat area. Most sessions aren’t archived for future playback, although some how-tos are posted to

Senior Planet’s YouTube channel, but popular courses are offered frequently. “In some of our classes, we find that they come early and stay late to talk to each other,” Kamber says. “Our

trainers seek out opportunities to engage people. They draw people out.” Follow-up with students has shown that participants are using their newfound knowledge. Technology topics include a

range of how-tos such as shopping on Amazon, using Google Maps and hosting a Zoom meeting. Some workshops focus on helping participants struggling with tech issues or learning how to keep

their personal information secure. Better balance, chair yoga and stretching sessions are among Senior Planet’s fitness offerings. “If I can Zoom, you can Zoom,” says Bailey, who decided to

become a member of Senior Planet to go along with her 17-year AARP membership. “It’s not that complicated. You just need somebody to guide you through it. And that’s what Senior Planet knows

how to do.” AARP VIRTUAL COMMUNITY CENTER OPENS Though anyone can register for most of Senior Planet’s free online classes on its website, some of the AARP-affiliated nonprofit’s most

popular courses are being offered through AARP’s new Virtual Community Center, including these, which all start at 1:30 p.m. ET: * FEB. 15, All Things Zoom * MARCH 1, Protecting Your

Personal Info Online * MARCH 15, Online Health Resources * MARCH 29, Streaming and Smart TVs The Virtual Community Center uses Zoom and a few other online platforms to allow users with

common interests to learn together. As with Senior Planet’s offerings, these events are live and allow for interactivity — speaking or typing — with others in attendance. It’s not on-demand

video. “The Virtual Community Center is designed in many ways to be like an in-person community center. You sign up for a class and go to it” online, says Heather Nawrocki, AARP’s vice

president of fun and fulfillment. Events on a wide variety of topics, including books, fitness, history, music and screenings of AARP Movies for Grownups, are available now for signup. All

are free, have no age restrictions and don’t require AARP membership to participate. Although the programs initially are in English, AARP is looking at expanding the signup platform as well

as course offerings for Spanish speakers. _Monica Bentivegna contributed to this story. Linda Dono is an executive editor for AARP. Previously, she served as a reporter and editor for _USA

Today_, Gannett News Service and newspapers in four states, including _The Cincinnati Enquirer_._