Forty senior citizens completed a two-day digital literacy learning program conducted by Palmetto Care Connections.
Senior citizens improve technology skills
Seniors completed hands-on training using a laptop and learned how to use the laptop, navigate the keyboard, and access the internet.
This week, 40 Marlboro County senior citizens completed a two-day digital literacy learning program conducted by Palmetto Care Connections (PCC), a state-wide, non-profit telehealth organization.
Davia Smith, chief of community relations for PCC, said the organization has three focus areas — telehealth, broadband, and technology.
“What we found during the COVID-19 pandemic was that a lot of patients were hearing about the use of telehealth and that their doctor was offering it,” Smith said. “However, they were not familiar with how to do it.
PCC launched its digital literacy training in 2021 to help seniors with basic computer skills so that they would be able to do telehealth to see their doctor and also connect with family and friends to prevent social isolation.
To date, more than 1,000 residents in the state have been trained.
Palmetto Care Connections (PCC) has been awarded a $450,000 South Carolina Health Equity Initiative grant funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), supported by the SC Office of Rural Health (SCORH) and SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC), to increase digital inclusion and expand telehealth in rural areas of South Carolina.
Seniors completed hands-on training using a laptop and learned how to use the laptop, navigate the keyboard, and access the internet.
At the end of the training, seniors received a certificate, a laptop, and access or information about affordable internet solutions.
In the future, PCC is hoping to return to the county and provide more training.
Smith said they will have a waiting list for those interested.
If interested, call 803-450-1027.
Marian Wright Edelman Public Library Director Bobbie Grooms thought the digital literacy training was great.
“Lots of times, we see our elderly population come in to ask for help for different things including like benefits, and health care related things that they have to do on the computer,” she said. “To be able to provide an opportunity where that gap can be kind of closed is a real good thing for our citizens.
Grooms added it is not only empowering because we’re giving them the tools but the ability to be able to do things on their own.