‘Silver Surfers’ learn to navigate the web

It’s a high tech world and for seniors who’ve seen so much change in technology, it can be hard to keep up.

A program developed by students at Okanagan College aims to help.

Volunteers have developed a four part course for seniors all about the iPad, called “Silver Surfers.”

“They’re trying to take a bunch of old geezers who don’t know anything about the technology and bring them into the modern era,” Ron Jones, a resident at Sandlewood Retirement Resort who just finished the course, said.

Silver Surfers teaches seniors everything from taking a selfie to using e-mail, Facebook and Facetime, to cyber security.

“Our residents are now given the ability and confidence to use the iPad and we’ve had an 85 per cent increase in confidence in connecting with family members,” Sam Jamieson, project manager for Silver Surfers, said.

Helping seniors connect with loved ones using technology is one of the main goals of the Silver Surfers program.

“I love this program and our student is so clever and so nice,” Agda Buckbroough said.

Sandlewood Retirement Resort is the third Seniors Home to take advantage of the program but Silver Surfers has more retirement communities signed up for the new year.