The Grange residents enjoy technology lessons from local students
Wagga Wagga seniors and students have come together to hone their technology skills on smartphones and computers.
Scroll to Explore
14 November 2023
News
| Retirement Living, BaptistCare
Like it or not, so much of what we do is online these days, and technology is constantly changing.
It can be hard to keep up with the regular updates, new models coming out and all the ways we connect online with essential services and the people that we love.
It's overwhelming. Especially if your tech skills don't feel like they're up to scratch and you're unsure where to begin. And for seniors who can be going through big life changes to mobility and independence, challenges with technology can be isolating and a real test to their confidence.
But it doesn't have to be, and that’s where a group of year nine students from Mater Dei Catholic College in Wagga Wagga come in.
With an established relationship between BaptistCare The Grange residents thanks to the REAL project where seniors mentored students, this time the shoe was on the other foot.
The year nine technology class swapped their classroom for the community rooms at The Grange and tech lessons began.
The focus was on basic computer and smartphone skills. The residents brought their biggest tech questions and the students got to work showing them the solutions.
But did it work?
The Grange resident Zanette learnt to block those pesky repeat callers on her smartphone, Ellen learnt how to add new numbers and delete ones she no longer needs, and Hellen had student Ronnie help her with photos on her computer.
“Ronnie showed me how to speed up the process of selecting the photos I wanted and place them in a separate file,” Hellen said.
“Ronnie explained the whole process in very simple terms, and he had lots of patience with me.”
The benefits flowed both ways with students sharing how much they enjoyed their time working with The Grange seniors. They said the lesson left them feeling satisfied and even inspired to see how else they can continue to teach technology to others now and into the future.
BaptistCare The Grange is one of two retirement living communities in Wagga Wagga operated by the leading not for profit aged care provider. Located close to Wagga Wagga’s Lake Albert, the premier location is located on 55 acres of landscaped ponds, gardens and walking trails.
Image caption: BaptistCare The Grange residents sit with year nine Mater Dei students to improve their technology skills.