Technology training program for older adults pivots to offer virtual help

Error message
In order to filter by the "in queue" property, you need to add the Entityqueue: Queue relationship.-
Montgomery County partnered with the county’s Chinese Cultural Center to hold a virtual iPad essentials class in Mandarin to address the county’s underserved older populations as part of the Senior Planet Montgomery Home Edition. Photo courtesy of Montgomery County
County NewsProblem: The COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person technology training sessions for older adults. Solution:Technology training program for older adults pivots to offer virtual help
-
County News Article
Technology training program for older adults pivots to offer virtual help
Problem:
The COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person technology training sessions for older adults.
Solution:
Switch all courses and training online, while increasing outreach to guide older adults to use online platforms.
Montgomery County, Md., Department of Technology Services staff knew when COVID-19 hit in March 2020, they would need to pivot an already-existing, in-person technology training program to a virtual platform to help older adults navigate the new online world.
The county partnered in 2016 with Older Adults Technology Services to launch Senior Planet Montgomery. The program was held at 16 senior centers and libraries throughout the county and teaches individuals 55 and older how to use technology.
But when the pandemic hit, Senior Planet Montgomery transformed into the Senior Planet Montgomery Home Edition to deliver all the same training via online platforms.
Senior Planet Montgomery Regional Director Shivali Haribhakti said the transition to all virtual training was rocky at first.
The county first decided what platform to use for the technology trainings and selected Zoom. Haribhakti said Zoom is easy and accessible because it does not require an email and participants can dial in through a phone without needing a wired connection.
She said planning for virtual programming required more steps compared to planning in-person meetings.
“That has made us think a little bit harder and more intentionally about how to make a program successful,” Haribhakti said.
She said the county worked to create curriculum specific to the digital space, initially posting technology guides and “how to Zoom” videos online along with “stuck at home” guides for virtual ways to shop online or connect with friends.
A key to the virtual pivot was outreach, Haribhakti said. Staff worked to get the word out about the virtual offerings and inform those who participated in the in-person trainings that new trainings would be available online.
Senior Planet Montgomery established a hotline while staff made outreach phone calls and spoke on Telemundo and other cable news shows. Additionally, county summer youth workers provided one-on-one tech support for older adults and helped sign up individuals for low-cost internet programs.
“One of the silver linings of COVID is that we were able to really get the word out to a lot more people than we were in person just because of the outreach and how easy it was to do from home,” Haribhakti said.
The program now offers more than 200 classes created for the virtual space that are 60-minute lectures. Courses are now taught by two trainers to allow one person to teach while the other helps those having trouble getting online.
Zoom lectures cover a variety of topics ranging from Facebook, Zoom, Google maps, iPhones, Twitter, telemedicine, ride sharing apps and online shopping.
The wide variety of topics offered online brought an influx of participants to the trainings. The county served 846 participants in the first three quarters of 2020 before the pandemic. In the first three quarters of offering online trainings, the county served a total of 8,804 participants.
These online programs supported 10 times as many participants compared to the in-person trainings.
Senior Planet Montgomery Home Edition also targeted underserved populations by providing different courses in English, Spanish and Chinese.
Haribhakti said they partnered with the Chinese Cultural Center in the county which helped identify residents who would benefit from the programming. This led to the creation of an iPad essentials course taught in Mandarin — the first training held in this language in the county.
“We specifically are addressing the county’s underserved populations that speak Spanish and Mandarin through classes in those languages,” she said.
Haribhakti emphasized that many older adults faced challenges with social isolation at the beginning of the pandemic.
The pandemic “really puts social isolation into a magnifying glass and Senior Planet was very cognizant of older adults feeling socially isolated and needing to connect as a result of the pandemic,” she said.
One program called Hello Montgomery County is held every two weeks and simulates a senior center lobby to provide an open dialogue for small talk.
“There was a lot of thought put into some of the programming that we had to make sure that they were really encouraging that sort of engagement,” Haribhakti said.
She said Senior Planet Montgomery is slowly returning to in-person events, but still plans to have a virtual presence with a blended model of both in-person and virtual options for participants.
Problem:2021-10-25County News Article2021-11-09
Montgomery County partnered with the county’s Chinese Cultural Center to hold a virtual iPad essentials class in Mandarin to address the county’s underserved older populations as part of the Senior Planet Montgomery Home Edition. Photo courtesy of Montgomery County
Problem: |
The COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person technology training sessions for older adults. |
Solution: |
Switch all courses and training online, while increasing outreach to guide older adults to use online platforms. |
Montgomery County, Md., Department of Technology Services staff knew when COVID-19 hit in March 2020, they would need to pivot an already-existing, in-person technology training program to a virtual platform to help older adults navigate the new online world.
The county partnered in 2016 with Older Adults Technology Services to launch Senior Planet Montgomery. The program was held at 16 senior centers and libraries throughout the county and teaches individuals 55 and older how to use technology.
But when the pandemic hit, Senior Planet Montgomery transformed into the Senior Planet Montgomery Home Edition to deliver all the same training via online platforms.
Senior Planet Montgomery Regional Director Shivali Haribhakti said the transition to all virtual training was rocky at first.
The county first decided what platform to use for the technology trainings and selected Zoom. Haribhakti said Zoom is easy and accessible because it does not require an email and participants can dial in through a phone without needing a wired connection.
She said planning for virtual programming required more steps compared to planning in-person meetings.
“That has made us think a little bit harder and more intentionally about how to make a program successful,” Haribhakti said.
She said the county worked to create curriculum specific to the digital space, initially posting technology guides and “how to Zoom” videos online along with “stuck at home” guides for virtual ways to shop online or connect with friends.
A key to the virtual pivot was outreach, Haribhakti said. Staff worked to get the word out about the virtual offerings and inform those who participated in the in-person trainings that new trainings would be available online.
Senior Planet Montgomery established a hotline while staff made outreach phone calls and spoke on Telemundo and other cable news shows. Additionally, county summer youth workers provided one-on-one tech support for older adults and helped sign up individuals for low-cost internet programs.
“One of the silver linings of COVID is that we were able to really get the word out to a lot more people than we were in person just because of the outreach and how easy it was to do from home,” Haribhakti said.
The program now offers more than 200 classes created for the virtual space that are 60-minute lectures. Courses are now taught by two trainers to allow one person to teach while the other helps those having trouble getting online.
Zoom lectures cover a variety of topics ranging from Facebook, Zoom, Google maps, iPhones, Twitter, telemedicine, ride sharing apps and online shopping.
The wide variety of topics offered online brought an influx of participants to the trainings. The county served 846 participants in the first three quarters of 2020 before the pandemic. In the first three quarters of offering online trainings, the county served a total of 8,804 participants.
These online programs supported 10 times as many participants compared to the in-person trainings.
Senior Planet Montgomery Home Edition also targeted underserved populations by providing different courses in English, Spanish and Chinese.
Haribhakti said they partnered with the Chinese Cultural Center in the county which helped identify residents who would benefit from the programming. This led to the creation of an iPad essentials course taught in Mandarin — the first training held in this language in the county.
“We specifically are addressing the county’s underserved populations that speak Spanish and Mandarin through classes in those languages,” she said.
Haribhakti emphasized that many older adults faced challenges with social isolation at the beginning of the pandemic.
The pandemic “really puts social isolation into a magnifying glass and Senior Planet was very cognizant of older adults feeling socially isolated and needing to connect as a result of the pandemic,” she said.
One program called Hello Montgomery County is held every two weeks and simulates a senior center lobby to provide an open dialogue for small talk.
“There was a lot of thought put into some of the programming that we had to make sure that they were really encouraging that sort of engagement,” Haribhakti said.
She said Senior Planet Montgomery is slowly returning to in-person events, but still plans to have a virtual presence with a blended model of both in-person and virtual options for participants.

-
Policy Brief
Reauthorize the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant
Urge your Members of Congress to enact a long-term, substantive reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. -
Policy Brief
Support the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG)
Urge your Members of Congress to increase the funding cap for the Services Block Grant (SSBG). -
Policy Brief
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Reauthorization and Appropriations
Urge your members of Congress and the administration to support counties’ role in the federal, state and local partnership in administering and financing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -
Policy Brief
Support the Deployment of Next Generation 911 Bill
Urge your Members of Congress to support legislation to provide funding for the deployment of Next Generation 9-1-1 and for other purposes. Introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in the previous Congress, the legislation would provide for the establishment of Next Generation 9-1-1 and would vastly improve interoperability with regards to all emergency communication systems. The bill would also establish a Next Generation 9-1-1 cybersecurity center to coordinate with state, local and regional governments to detect and prevent cybersecurity intrusions related to Next Generation 9-1-1. -
Policy Brief
Support the Protecting Community Television Act
Urge your members of Congress to support the Support the Protecting Community Television Act. Introduced by Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) in the previous Congress, the legislation would amend the Communications Act of 1934 to reverse the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) 2019 order requiring that cable-related, in-kind contributions be subjected to the statutory five percent franchise fee cap. -
County News
TikTok: It’s hip, it’s fun and it’s a security risk
What threat does TikTok pose to data security, and how should counties regulate its use on government-issued devices?
Contact
Related Resources
-
County News
TikTok: It’s hip, it’s fun and it’s a security risk
What threat does TikTok pose to data security, and how should counties regulate its use on government-issued devices? -
Blog
Data sharing paramount in modern county operations
Everyone wants data. Everyone needs authoritative data. GIS is the underlying infrastructure for sharing data instantly in your county. -
Blog
How municipalities can better manage snow events
Municipalities can now tap into the smart features of RUBICONSmartCity’s platform for an entirely new Public Works category: snow removal. Using Rubicon’s simple in-cab interface and desktop portal, users can set priority streets, view all snow removal vehicles at once, provide digital turn-by-turn directions to drivers, track route progress and completion, and ensure all streets get plowed.
-
Reports & Toolkits
NACo Technology Guide for County Leaders: Workforce
The NACo County Technology Advisory Council, with input from the Tech Xchange and the NACo Workforce Advisory Board, has developed a guide on workforce retention and recruitment for technology workers. This guide provides an overview, along with benefits and questions to consider in the technology recruitment and retention process -
Policy Brief
Support the Deployment of Next Generation 911 Bill
Urge your Members of Congress to support legislation to provide funding for the deployment of Next Generation 9-1-1 and for other purposes. Introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in the previous Congress, the legislation would provide for the establishment of Next Generation 9-1-1 and would vastly improve interoperability with regards to all emergency communication systems. The bill would also establish a Next Generation 9-1-1 cybersecurity center to coordinate with state, local and regional governments to detect and prevent cybersecurity intrusions related to Next Generation 9-1-1. -
Policy Brief
Support the Protecting Community Television Act
Urge your members of Congress to support the Support the Protecting Community Television Act. Introduced by Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) in the previous Congress, the legislation would amend the Communications Act of 1934 to reverse the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) 2019 order requiring that cable-related, in-kind contributions be subjected to the statutory five percent franchise fee cap.
Related Events
-
8Feb2023Webinar
Local Strategies for Reaching Families and Young Children Experiencing Homelessness
Feb. 8, 2023 , 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm -
22Feb2023Webinar
Executive Perspectives on Preparing for an ERP Replacement Project
Feb. 22, 2023 , 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm -
27Feb2023
-
12Jun2023
More From
-
Legislative Analysis for Counties: The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023
This analysis includes funding highlights for key programs impacting counties.
Learn More