CALHOUN COUNTY, S.C. — Connecting seniors in Calhoun County with the tools they need to become digitally literate is the goal of a new beginner Chromebook training program. It is being offered by the Calhoun County Council on Aging.
“When the pandemic all hit us, we had to close and at that point, we were unsure with all of our seniors instead of still going door-to-door," said executive director Jill Truesdale.
She said this is what inspired the program.
“A lot of them still bring us their cell phones and they’re like how do you connect to wifi? So this will not only be for anyone who is homebound, but it could be for those who come here to our center," she said.
The program is being funded with a grant from Aflac.
Seniors will learn the basic functions of a laptop, how to safely browse the internet, and how to connect with family and health providers online.
“A lot of our seniors are isolated. We are super rural county especially when you go to the ends of our county so this way they’ll have that connection. even though it’ll be digital they can still see a face, hear a voice," she said.
There are 20 spaces available for the class. Each participant will receive a Chromebook and free WIFI for six months. You can contact the Calhoun County Council on Aging for more information at 803-874-1270, extension 4.