From the moon landing to the dot com boom of the 1990s, older adults have witnessed the ways in which technology changed the world. During a casual conversation with residents, they reminisced about their time in the workforce, when a single computer took up an entire room. Now, our computers fit in our pocket.
A technological divide has been observed between older and younger generations. In 2019, an AARP survey found that this gap may be fast closing. The COVID-19 pandemic has given many the push to adopt new technology, EdenHill Communities included.
It seems that nearly all we do these days includes everyone’s new favorite application, Zoom. EdenHill live streams Sunday service, council meetings, holds a digital Alzheimer’s support group, and even streams chair yoga. We are lucky to have an amazing group of tech-savvy residents in independent living who have volunteered their time to teach and problem solve. We have seen a steady increase in active online participation through these events. EdenHill Communities is also gearing up to host our own how-to technology series, with a focus on utilization for communication. Our hope is to provide our residents and staff with the education to integrate technology in their daily lives.
As a not-for-profit organization, we are enormously grateful for the grants and donations we receive from our generous community. Last October, Eden Hill’s benefit; A Night in Old New Braunfels, generated funding to be used towards our Memory Care Continuum. With a portion of these funds, seven additional iPads were purchased for the purpose of facilitating communication between our residents and their family members.
If you are a family member of one of our residents in assisted living or healthcare and wish to set up a video call, please call us to schedule a time slot. We know that there is no replacement for face-to-face interaction, but we are hopeful that this temporary substitute will be well used.
Are you interested in helping facilitate technology at EdenHiIll Communities? Read more about how we are committed to a higher purpose of enriching resident’s lives here.