SAN DIEGO — A bold new world is about to open up for Joanne Peterson.
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| Get Connected! participant Courtesy UTSan Diego |
The 72-year-old Chula Vista resident will soon be able to see her grandchildren in Ohio on a daily basis. She’ll be able to comparison shop without leaving her home. And, she will reconnect with old friends all over the country. All these life improvements are thanks to what she learned at Saturday’s Technology Fair for the over-50 set.
“It’s time I caught up with everyone else and learned how to do more than just email on my computer,” said Peterson, who attended the gathering of about 500 people at Macy’s Westfield Mission Valley. “I don’t expect to ever become a technical genius, but I don’t want to be left too far behind.”
The tech fair was designed to help local adults age 50 and older learn how to use social media and today’s gadgetry, including smartphones, tablets and the latest software. Technology experts from San Diego OASIS presented 30-minute sessions on a variety of tech topics, as well as one-on-one coaching to the tech novices.
San Diego OASIS, based on the third-level of the Macy’s store, is a nonprofit organization serving people 50-plus throughout San Diego County. The group’s mission is to promote successful aging and offer classes on everything from health and business to the arts and personal growth.
A 10-year OASIS member, Rita Blanchard, came to the tech fair to learn how to navigate her new iPhone.
“Lordy, Lordy, has it ever been a challenge. I had a simple phone before and it was intuitive. But with this phone you have to know the esoteric language,” said the 75-year-old retired nurse from Carmel Valley, who was also interested in learning about different apps and how to upload a video.
Learning new computer skills may do more than just help seniors become tech literate. It may also make their brains work more efficiently.
A recent study at the University of Arizona showed that after learning to use Facebook, adults ages 65-plus experienced a boost in cognitive function. They performed about 25 percent better on tasks designed to measure their ability to continuously monitor and quickly add or delete the contents of their working memory — a brain function known as “updating.”
“By educating our members about social media and how to fully utilize the growing trend toward online, we are confident that it will help improve their cognitive abilities and make them feel more connected to friends and family,” said San Diego OASIS executive director Simona Valanciute.
Some of the more popular seminars at the fair included lessons on electronic gadgets and gizmos, Gmail, Windows 8, Facebook and Skype.
But the session that piqued the most interest was Online Dating for 50-plus.
“The class was driven strictly by student request. A lot of students are in their mid-70s and are interested in how to date online,” said Judi Bonilla, the OASIS tech instructor who taught the dating class. “We are living longer and we are aging healthy. Part of that is having a relationship.”
It’s not exactly love that Barbara Tucker is looking for as much as a male companion and occasional dinner date.
“It would just be nice to have a man my own age to share some things with. But it’s so hard to meet anyone,” said the 72-year-old San Diego resident, who admitted she was “a little nervous” about meeting someone online. “I never thought I’d be looking for a date online, and I’m not even sure how to get started. That’s why I’m here.”
Aside from guiding the class through the maze of dating websites and teaching them how to create an intriguing profile, the focus was on online dating safety.
“We are all vulnerable. If you’re not tech savvy, there are people who can take advantage of you,” Bonilla said. “My goal is to make my students feel empowered with the skills and facts and have the confidence to pursue (online dating). If you want love you should have love.”
For more information about San Diego OASIS, visitoasisnet.org/sandiego.
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