Gold Award Spotlight: Cyber Savvy Seniors
Technology helps people around the world stay connected near and far. Beyond sending text messages and making phone calls, smartphones, tablets, and computers have limitless benefits, but unfortunately, they aren’t always user friendly for all. For one of our most vulnerable populations, older adults living alone, technology is a great resource to help battle isolation and feelings of loneliness. Families often have the best intentions and set up a mobile device to help their loved ones stay connected, but those seniors may still need to learn the skills required to operate their devices with confidence. Girl Scout Ambassador Claire earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for completing her project, “Cyber Savvy Seniors,” which met this challenge with a solution.
According to survey data of senior groups completed in Claire’s community, seniors are not getting as many visitors as before the Covid-19 pandemic. This issue, however, is not unique to Hampton Roads communities, and affects people around the country — and world. Claire wanted to make a difference for as many people as she could.
“My Gold Award project addressed the issue of social isolation in seniors and how technology can be used to improve connections with family and friends,” Claire said. “According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered socially isolated. AARP notes that two thirds of older adults have felt socially isolated, at one time in their lives. Social isolation is linked to an increased risk of premature death, heart disease, stroke, and dementia.”
Claire developed and published a free website called Cyber Savvy Seniors, which was designed to help older adults gain competence and confidence in the use of technology. The website features easy to use tutorials covering tech topics such as social media usage, smart phone basics, and online safety. Along with publicly promoting the website within her church and community, she also hosted free Cyber Savvy workshops for seniors at Port Anne Senior Group and at Main St. United Methodist Church, both in Suffolk, Virginia. At the events, the community was able to learn, have fun, and receive one-on-one help from Claire.
By completing this service project, Claire helped bridge the gap between seniors and technology in her community and beyond! Throughout the process, Girl Scout Ambassador Claire says she gained invaluable leadership and web development skills that she plans to expand on in the future. Way to go, Girl Scout!
