Consumer Technology Association Foundation Renews Grant to Continue Expanding SoFIA Senior Tech Services
The South Florida Institute on Aging (SoFIA) Tech Services program is concluding its first year of free tech education and training to South Florida older adults with over 250 graduates. A major milestone for the organization, SoFIA will continue to expand its tech course offerings thanks to a renewed grant from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Foundation.
“We have accomplished so much in the past year with our new technology training program and made a real difference in the lives of the 250 older adults who have graduated from our courses,” said SoFIA President and CEO, Peter Kaldes. “We could not have made such an impact without the help of funders like the CTA Foundation, who supported our expansion into Palm Beach County last year and will help us to broaden our curriculum in the year ahead.” The CTA Foundation, which is a national foundation with the mission to link seniors and people with disabilities with technologies to enhance their lives, will continue to generously support SoFIA Tech Services (STS) as it works to provide older adults with more advanced coursework and short seminars on a variety of topics such as Facebook, iPads, apps and social media.
STS, a program offered through SoFIA, helps to enhance the lives of seniors through technology classes that improve life management skills, encourage socialization and provide entertainment. Skills gained from the program vary depending on course level but include learning to send and receive emails, search the internet, engage in social networking and access online financial, health, transportation and housing services.
“SoFIA offers real-life solutions to the socio-economic challenges seniors face, which is why the CTA Foundation is proud to offer its support again this year,” said Stephen Ewell, executive director, CTA Foundation. “Our mission is to link seniors with life enhancing technologies and SoFIA’s commitment to that goal is making a tangible impact at the local level.”
Beginning this August, STS will offer the following Fall classes: Basic Computers for Older Adults, Intermediate Basics, Beyond the Basics, Money Matters and iPad for Beginners. SoFIA will also team up with Capital One to offer a four-course class on online banking as well as a series of “Tuesday Tech Talks” on technology topics of interest to older adults eager to expand their digital literacy.
Classes generally meet twice a week for 75 minutes and are currently held at eight locations throughout Broward and South Palm Beach Counties including at SoFIA in Wilton Manors, Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Tamarac, Pembroke Pines, Hallandale Beach and Hollywood including classes dedicated to Veterans.
“All of our 250 graduates report that they now feel comfortable using a computer and most are experiencing a higher quality of life with less social isolation,” said Bryon Bowlby, SoFIA Tech Services Manager. “Thanks to donor funding, older adults who have taken advantage of SoFIA’s free courses are now thriving in our complex technological world.”
For more information on how to be a teacher, assistant or to enroll in one of SoFIA’s tech classes, please call 954.484.7117 Ext 7.
About SoFIA
A non-profit think and act tank, the South Florida Institute on Aging (SoFIA) creates and delivers socio-economic support programs for South Florida seniors that can also serve as a model for other communities with aging populations. For more than 50 years, SoFIA has provided innovative services tailored to meet seniors’ caregiving and respite, civic engagement and economic security needs. This past year, SoFIA’s 500 experienced senior volunteers provided over a quarter of a million hours to serve nearly 2,000 residents including: veterans who received the mentoring of fellow veterans; seniors, disabled adults and caregivers who were enabled to live independently through caregiving and companionship programs; children in underserved communities that saw a 90 percent improvement in literacy skills through the Foster Grandparent program; and over 250 seniors graduated from SoFIA’s technology courses. Visit www.theSoFIA.org for more information.
