Tech Savvy Seniors program builds connections and reduces digital barriers

August 23, 2024

We love to think about (and brag about) Albion as a small college that opens countless new worlds to students. This past spring, 27 of them became the world openers for local seniors, helping build bridges over the digital divide.

Thanks to Albion College AmeriCorps and Introduction to Human Services students, Tech Savvy Seniors (TSS) launched this past spring, pairing the students with folks who need help with apps, devices, web forms, and maybe a little companionship. 

In partnership with the Albion Healthcare Alliance and other senior-focused community programs, TSS provided 12 community members with weekly in-home visits over eight weeks, and worked with dozens more who attended drop-in sessions at the Forks Senior Center. 

“Just turning on a computer or getting a new remote can be overwhelming for some older people,” said Albion College Americorps Director Lindsey Knowlden, who also teaches the introduction to human services course. 

Knowlden noted that while access to a cell phone or computer is an issue for some seniors “many of them have these devices, and may have had them for a long time, and just don’t know how to use them,” she said. “They were shown one time how it worked, and that’s not enough for most people.”

To help their clients become truly savvy, TSS provides a minimum of six visits for each in-home client. A pair of Albion students visits weekly, helping with everything from understanding a remote control to setting up email and social media accounts, printing photographs, and using a cell phone camera. 

“A lot of what we do isn’t something you would just know,” said Anaka McCoy ’25, an environmental studies major and French minor from Jackson and AmeriCorps participant. “We do things like customizing a keyboard for a certain device, or getting this specific phone to talk to this specific printer. We did one time have a printer that didn’t work because it was unplugged but that took only a few minutes to fix.”

Not all seniors are technology newbies. McCoy said current trustee Mae Ola Dunklin and her husband, Bob, are TSS clients. “Mr. Dunklin is president of the Albion NAACP and we worked on their website,” McCoy said. “We set up electronic banking and the ability to collect membership dues online. We’re also organizing the transfer of files to electronic storage.”

Connecting seniors to family and the world

Each of Knowlden’s human services students gave 20 hours to TSS. “This was a learning experience that helped humanize seniors to a younger generation, learning about their backgrounds and challenges. Their service improved students’ ability to speak clearly and explain things to diverse populations. It also improved their confidence and problem-solving ability, as they often had to research answers to help the clients,” she explained.

Aysia Yokely ’27, a kinesiology major with a human services concentration from Detroit, said seniors gain a sense of empowerment and independence through learning how to use smartphones, tablets, and other devices. 

“I remember one particular moment when I helped a senior connect with their family through video calls,” Yokely said. “Seeing the joy on their face as they saw their loved ones, who were far away, was truly heartwarming.” 

That sense of empowerment, Knowlden said, is a driving factor for TSS. 

“It may seem unimportant for folks to be able to watch tv or be on social media, but if you’re not connected to these things, it can be isolating and lonely,” Knowlden said. “TSS also builds confidence so that people can try the next new technology when it pops up.”