About 3 years ago I started to experience health problems which made it impossible to use my computer any longer. When the pandemic was happening, online access became increasingly used for obvious reasons, but I hoped that when restrictions ended life would revert to the previous pattern where “offline” access was freely available. Share this post: Recommend on Facebook Tweet about it Print for later Tell a friend
Category: Digital Inclusion
The Internet is for Everyone!
“Learning about the internet and how to use social media is also a great way to spend time with your family – albeit online. Ask your friends and family for their Instagram handles, then set up a profile and start taking photos. You’ll be joining the ranks of the 25% of Brits over 50 who claim apps make their family lives easier, from organising special occasions to communicating day-to-day.”
All the buzzwords and jargon can make the internet seem a strange and terrifying place to be. Never fear! Hannah Waters explains why the internet is for everyone and offers some top tips for staying safe online.
Tips for Staying Safe Online
Staying safe online sounds simple enough doesn’t it? Don’t go on any “dodgy” looking websites, and don’t download anything off the internet that you weren’t originally looking for. But with online scammers getting smarter and always trying new tactics, unfortunately, it’s not as easy as it used to be to stay safe online. Thankfully there are some simple tips you can follow to ensure all your internet surfing is safe and fun.
Digital Skills – Discoveries Along the Learning Journey
“”What’s the difference between you guys and a three year old child, when you’re all just learning a new task?”. Another student, Alex, says, “It’s the brain. The little ones have a brain that works like a sponge and it can absorb any new information.” I reply, “Fair enough!”, and ask them, “What else do you think is different?”. They take a little bit of time to think about it. Then, the answer I was looking for comes out of Celia’s mouth. She says,“It’s fear!”, with a facial expression that indicates she is even afraid of admitting it.”
This week’s Age UK London blog comes from Eirini Dermitzaki who explains how Jewish Care Explore are teaching digital skills to older Londoners.
Fit 4 Purpose – Gone but not Forgotten!
March 2017 saw the end of our Fit 4 Purpose project after a four year period. Fit 4 Purpose was a capacity building project funded by London Councils which saw Age UK London work in partnership with Opening Doors London. The project reached over 500 organisations across London, working with them to make sure they could effectively serve older Londoners. All 32 boroughs, including the City of London, had several of their local older people’s organisations taking part in Fit 4 Purpose.
Over 100 workshops took place over the course of the four year period. These sessions were an opportunity to “skill-up” organisations that worked with Older Londoners as well as a chance to network across the capital, sharing intelligence and knowledge to build upon good practice.
Considering the success of the project, we thought it’d be good to give it a proper send off in this week’s blog!
Tea and Technology with Transport for London
“When Susie proposed the Techy Tea Parties as a volunteering opportunity for our team, I didn’t hesitate to participate. I thought that it would be an excellent opportunity to provide a service to older people and learn from them at the same time.”
Last week, Susanna Bass of Transport for London wrote about setting up a Techy Tea Party for older Londoners here at Age UK London. This week, Susanna’s colleague Carmen Muriana Cobo discusses her experience of the day’s events.
A Techy Tea Party with Transport for London
“We started the event off with tea, cake and biscuits, and as our guests arrived, my colleagues and I started introducing ourselves and having a chat. I met some fascinating people; someone who used to be a bus driver from the days before our organisation was called ‘TfL’, a lady who was really interested in sociology and how people’s behaviour towards travel was changing, right through to a gentleman who admitted he wasn’t really interested in technology but was just there for the cake!”
Last month, Susanna Bass brought a team of volunteers from Transport for London to one of our Techy Tea Parties and helped to teach digital skills to older Londoners. In this week’s blog, Susanna discusses her experience and explains why these events are so important.
The Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness
The Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness shone the spotlight on isolation amongst older people between March and April 2017. Whilst loneliness affects people of all ages and walks of life, older people are especially at risk as they are more likely to experience deteriorating health and the death of a loved one.
It is our responsibility to continue to raise awareness around loneliness and the ways in which we can combat it.
Tackling Loneliness in London
As our population ages, we must ensure older people can thrive in our city. Too many older Londoners get lost in the crowd and are unable to make the most of later life. Yesterday I went to a Techy Tea Party, hosted by Age UK London at the HQ of Amazon Audible. It was part of #happytochat, a new campaign from the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness. The party reminded me of how important both personal and virtual connections can be for older people. It was great to know the older people there were being given new skills to help them […]
A Beginner’s Guide to Twitter
Ever wanted to use Twitter, but felt unsure how to get started? Felt confused at the mention of “retweets”, “hashtags”, and “likes”? Never really understood the point of the website at all? Well, we’ve put together a guide to the basics to get you up and running on Twitter!