A DifferenceMaking

Umstead says the Ronald McDonald Houses are special to him. “I love children,” he said. “I get so much more out of them than they can get out of me. They don’t expect anything. They just want you to play with them.”

The Dorothy C. Benson Senior Multipurpose Complex in Sandy Springs reports he logged more than 5,000 hours of volunteer time from 2010 to 2015 at their facility alone. “He’s a volunteer legend,” Benson employee Bane Stojanovic said.

Umstead now volunteers at the Benson Center at least three days a week, at Scottish Rite children’s hospital and the Ronald McDonald Houses on other days, and still finds time to deliver donated food to missions and soup kitchens.

“He’s amazing,” said Marissa Greider, director of development at the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities. “Out of all our volunteers, he is the most regular and frequent. He has developed

About 15 years ago, Umstead started collecting extra food from a Publix grocery store and delivering it to the Ronald McDonald Houses. At first he was just gathering the day-old bread, rolls, doughnuts and muffins that would have been thrown away. Then, the store started giving him more and more food and eventually flowers. Not long after that, Costco, Kroger and Trader Joe’s joined in, providing Umstead with enough goods to deliver donations seven days a week.

Around the same time, Umstead and his wife, Lucrecia, began spending time with children at the Ronald McDonald Houses. She would read to the kids while Umstead would play with them. “I do arts and crafts. I play. Unfortunately I’m not good at the Nintendo Wii games,” Umstead said. “I tell them I’m trying.” ■

- James Beaman

In April of 2016, researchers at Penn State released findings that the upward trend has continued. In 2013, 27 percent of adults aged 65 and older were members of a social media site, like Facebook or LinkedIn. The number has jumped to 35 percent this year.

Despite the many wonderful things that technology and the Internet offer, there are older adults who find it intimidating to jump online and begin surfing the net. There are plenty of helpful opportunities in the north Atlanta region, however.

Computer classes are provided at libraries in Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett and DeKalb counties. For example, Atlanta-Fulton Public Library’s Kirkwood Branch has a Drop-In Computer Lab that’s available during normal operating hours. Some Cobb County libraries offer an ongoing series that goes through the basics of using a computer, getting online and using email.

Several area library systems offer Book-A-Librarian. Residents can make an appointment for a one-on-one, 30-minute customized session at no charge. According to the Cobb County Public Library, “Available topics include…database assistance, library catalog and account instruction, downloadable media and device assistance and 3D printing.” The service is open to all library patrons.

An Atlanta area organization, Bluehair Technology Group, is a 501c3 non-profit that specializes in connecting seniors with the digital world around them.

Jane Ratliff, Founder and Executive Director of Bluehair Technology, helps seniors learn to enjoy their tablets, smartphones and computers. “All our students are bright and capable, and they can all learn; they just need to have the motivation,” she said. “It’s important to find out what’s important to them. Once they see the value in learning the technology, and once they understand what it can do for them, they’re very receptive.”

According to Ratliff, many seniors want to learn to use their devices to send and receive text messages, as well as to take