September/October 2021 Volume 28 Number 3
COMPL
IMENTA
RY
Like us on Facebook for more news and updates at facebook.com/ PittsburghSeniorNews
Be the first to know when news happens To receive a digital copy of our publication please send us an email at pghseniornews@icloud.com
Visit our website pittsburghseniornews.com
Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh expands digital access and training for older adults in the region During the early months
of COVID-19 lockdown and subsequent “stay at home” orders to protect the public health, older adults—a historically overlooked population when it comes to digital inclusion—reached a crisis point. Access to online grocery ordering, telemedicine appointments, and communication with family and friends were just a few
of the many dimensions of our exploding online lives that anyone without access to the internet or a personal computer was completely cut off from. A lack of online access and basic digital literacy skills for older adults is finally getting the attention and resources it deserves. In the spring of 2020, Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh convened a work group of organiza-
tions who meet monthly via Zoom and have been creating a strategy to get more older adults digitally connected. One key element is affordability, so group members strive to develop resources that are free of charge or very low cost. The “three-leggedstool” model includes a device, internet service, and technical support and digital literacy training, Continued on page 3
Grab your copy of the 2021 Allegheny County Senior Resource Guide A guide with all the phone numbers and websites for senior resources you may need. Visit the website at pghseniornews.com to download a copy of the guide.