The pandemic forced an unprecedented number of older Americans to buy new tech devices, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are using them, Kaiser Health News reported June 24.
Many older Americans who preferred the old-fashioned way of doing things quickly realized digital tools were the only safe option for grocery shopping, staying in touch with loved ones, attending medical visits and completing other daily tasks. Upon buying new technologies, many struggled to set up or use their new tools.
"Computers put fear in me," Cindy Sanders, a 68-year-old retired hospital operating room attendant living in Philadelphia told the outlet, "but this pandemic, it’s made me realize I have to make a change and get over that."
Ms. Sanders got over her difficulty using tech devices through the help of Generations on Line, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that educates older adults on how to use digital devices and the internet. But many older Americans in her situation are unaware of such organizations or don't have access to them.
"I have never described my work as a matter of life or death before," Angela Siefer, executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, a Columbus, Ohio-based nonprofit working to expand broadband access, told the outlet. "But that’s what happened during the pandemic, especially when it came to vaccines."
Local libraries and senior centers are often helpful places for older Americans to turn to for help finding a digital literacy program or tutor, according to the report. Each state also has a National Assistive Technology Act training center for older adults and those with disabilities.