Photo Caption: CTN staff member Josie configures a new tablet for a Home Connect senior.
As our new Home Connect program continues to evolve, we intend to keep you informed of our progress through regular blog posts. In case you missed the initial announcements related to Home Connect, here’s a link to a new page on our website with the details.
We are currently in the process of obtaining referrals from our SF Connected partners to identify the first group of older adult learner candidates. Concurrently, our first 10 tablets arrived last week. We discovered the installed version of their operating system isn’t compatible with the screen-sharing tool we plan to use, so these devices will be reserved for deployment once we return to our traditional in-person training format.
An additional 10 tablets were ordered to arrive the week of April 13. Once they are in hand, we will configure them with preloaded apps and will bookmark important websites. We have discovered that our vendors are experiencing out-of-stock situations due to the increased demand. To ensure a steady supply of devices, we’re placing orders now for future delivery, with 10 tablets due to arrive later in April.
We have nearly completed the development of a five-part basic remote training curriculum and the corresponding learner handouts. These will be printed and will accompany each tablet as they are shipped directly to the senior. The first group of tablets will go only to English speakers so we can work out any issues with the curriculum and handouts before spending time translating the materials.
The CTN staff trainer will work remotely with the senior using phones and a screen-sharing program like Zoom or TeamViewer. Once the senior feels comfortable with the basics, the CTN staff trainer will hand them off to a trained CTN volunteer whose background we have checked.
On April 9, we held our first webinar to discuss this project with potential volunteers and ask for their help with developing activities that will correspond to identified learning pathways. We expect the volunteer to work virtually one or two times a week with the senior to accomplish their desired goals.
You can help us purchase additional devices for seniors by making a financial donation here.
