Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Giving seniors a renewed purpose with tech lessons
Today more than ever, we need to ensure that our aging population is thriving. It is incumbent upon all of us to improve economic and social outcomes and provide community services to empower people as they age with programs and services that assist at risk children, elderly and frail adults, veterans and their families and retirees reentering the workforce as well as decreasing the digital divide in our communities.
This past year alone, the South Florida Institute on Aging’s 500 experienced senior volunteers provided more than a quarter of a million hours to serve nearly 2,000 residents, including veterans who received the mentoring of fellow veterans; seniors, disabled adults and caregivers who were enabled to live independently through caregiving and companionship programs; children in underserved communities that saw a 90% improvement in literacy skills through our Foster Grandparent program; and more than 500 seniors who graduated from SoFIA’s technology courses.
Nonprofits such as ours are desperately needed because senior services are not on the government’s priority list. In fact, here in Broward County, less than 5% of the Broward County budget is allocated for senior services and 6,500 Broward seniors are currently on wait lists for elder services. How can our seniors thrive if the government does not recognize their value?
That leads to children and grandchildren caring for their aging family. Nationally, one-fourth of all adults at age 50 care for a parent by providing some personal and/or financial support.
According to the National Council on Aging, more than 25 million Americans over the age of 60 are economically insecure, which is why they may not have access to the internet. We must remove that barrier. How else can they access Social Security or Medicare benefits, connect with family and friends or even have the confidence to remain independent?
According to the lead author of a study in 2019, Shengzhi Wang of the Design Lab at the University of California San Diego, researchers found that many times “frustration” with new technology made older adults unsure of their ability to use it, leaving them unmotivated to even try. Through our SoFIA Tech training, 90% felt more confident in accessing benefits such as Social Security; 77% felt more connected to friends, family and the community; and 71% reported an increase in their confidence to remain independent.
Technology keeps older adults connected to their loved ones. There was no greater need for that than when the pandemic hit. Older adults were suddenly separated from family and friends, leading to loneliness and depression. This is particularly true of the LGBT community, in which older people are twice as likely to live alone, twice as likely to be single and three to four times less likely to have children.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau found that during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, workers age 55 and older were 17% more likely to lose their jobs than employees who were just a few years younger. It’s just good business to continually assist currently employed, retired, underemployed and unemployed older adults transition their skill sets and experience.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that more than half of veterans impacted by the criminal legal system have either mental health problems or substance abuse disorders. Helping veterans who are struggling and need assistance transitioning to civilian life, our Veterans Helping Veterans Program has been an integral part of the Broward County Veterans Court since the court was established in 2012.
We must work together because we are all going to age. I am proud of what we do at SoFIA, but more is needed. As a nonprofit, we create and deliver socio-economic support programs for South Florida seniors that can also serve as a model for other communities with aging populations.
Whichever program could be a fit for you, we hope you will join us for our “How We Age Matters” virtual conference from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23. Visit thesofia.org/events.