Age is no Barrier when it comes to the Internet.

Summary

Everybody Online Caithness started a pilot project with one of the local care homes for the elderly (Bayview House). The care home has 2 parts to it, a day care centre where the elderly community can drop in and residential side, which houses 23 residents on a full time bases.

The project officer was keen to start work with the elderly and encourage them to understand the benefits of IT and the internet.

What Happened

Everybody Online Project Officer, Shona Macdonald, got in touch with Bayview House manger, who was also very keen to introduce computer technology and the internet to the residents and the day care users. The full time residents had no access to computers or the internet so it was decided to apply to the BT Community Connections fund. At the beginning of August the care home were told they were successful with their application and they would be receiving a free laptop and a years supply of broadband. Once the laptop and internet is installed Everybody Online Project Officer will work with staff and residents to ensure they get the best out of their new resource.

While the full time residents did not have access to the internet or computer, the Day Care centre did have a computer which had been donated to them from a local business, although the computer was there for the users to access very few of them knew how to work it or had the confidence to do so. Everybody Online Project Officer delivered internet tasters sessions in the day care unit. The sessions attracted quiet a lot of attention and there are now 3 users who attend internet lessons every week. One of the users has now bought a laptop for her own home and another has signed up for silver surfers classes at the local library. All of the users have been busy emailing family and friends and now have regular contact with all of them.

As more and more of the day care users take an interest in the internet, Everybody Online Project Officer has encouraged the centre to apply for some local funding to buy a new laptop, which will allow more of the users to access the internet and encourage and inclusive approach.

Key Achievements

• Residents will have a new resource and new skills will be learnt.

• A new partnership has been created between Everybody Online and Bayview House.

• The users now have more contact with family member who live away from the area.

• New users are wanting to learn more and have been signed posted to Silver Surfer events.