Senior Planet programming is built around five impact areas: financial security, social engagement, creative expression, health and wellness, and civic participation.
Our programs provide older adults with opportunities to engage online and in-person through free classes, workshops, lectures and special events.
Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) Executive Director Tom Kamber joined Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes to talk about how a new report shows the transformative social outcomes of learning how to use the Internet.
What We Do
Senior Planet programs combine mainstream technology, in-person training, online tools and community-building spaces and events to produce measurable change in seniors’ lives across five impact areas: social engagement, financial security, health and wellness, lifelong learning and creative expression. Senior Planet participants also have access to free membership in a national community of connected seniors who are embracing technology to age with style.
New York City’s Senior Planet Exploration Center is the first of its kind, offering seniors a modern, safe space to learn and explore today’s digital world.
Montgomery County’s Senior Planet program utilizes curricula created by OATS and works closely with numerous County departments to produce sessions that address the unique needs of seniors in Montgomery County. Classes focus on user-friendly tools and resources that enable older adults to use technologies to thrive at home.
Social Engagement
The first technology-themed center for older adults opened in 2013 in Manhattan, offering a comfortable space to learn new ways to thrive in today’s digital world. Located in the heart of the Chelsea neighborhood, it hosts classes, workshops, programs and lectures.
Programs are focused on five impact areas: financial security, social engagement, creative expression, health and wellness, and civic participation. Through them, older adults are empowered to leverage digital tools to shop and save money; express themselves creatively using new platforms; and use technology to exercise at home and in the community.
CVCOA Senior Planet offers online programming throughout the year on topics like getting set up with Internet, social media and more. The program is open to anyone over the age of 60 with a home Internet connection and equipment.
Creative Expression
Embracing creative expression can reduce isolation and increase confidence while improving mental, physical and emotional health. Senior Planet art programs offer participants the chance to explore new platforms for artistic expression, building on skills learned over the years while introducing them to innovative techniques.
Ryan Kawamoto, regional director at Senior Planet’s Palo Alto office, said the organization’s curriculum model, tech support from headquarters and a variety of courses ranging from iPad basics to smartphone photography are key factors for its popularity. The technology-themed exploration center, opened last summer in New York City, also attracts a diverse audience ranging from beginners to those who already use the latest devices and apps.
The program offers free mainstream digital devices, world-class technology training and specialized course offerings engineered to produce measurable changes in five core impact areas: social engagement, financial security, creative expression, health and wellness and civic participation.
Health and Wellness
Located in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, the Senior Planet Exploration Center is the country’s first standalone technology-themed center for New Yorkers 60 and over. The center hosts classes, workshops, talks and other events, providing older adults with a comfortable space to learn, work and explore today’s digital world.
Online health and wellness programs offer older adults the opportunity to learn about and leverage digital tools that can help them maintain their independence and stay healthy. The programs include topics such as online shopping, mobile health apps, and virtual platforms such as Zoom.
In addition, a series of virtual presentations on balance-related topics are offered, designed to encourage participants to get active and build strength. This series is produced in partnership with Older Adults Technology Services from AARP.
Technology
Technology courses, workshops, skill-shares and special events help seniors deal with the complexities of today’s technology. Senior Planet also offers an exploration center in New York City that provides older adults a modern space to access technology, learn new skills and continue life-long learning and work in today’s digital world.
Classes range from the basics of how to use a smartphone to more advanced applications, including online shopping, social media platforms like Zoom, and transportation apps. Most classes are one hour and cover mainstream technologies that impact our lives as we age.
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