Register now - Digital Literacy Club

The Alzheimer Society of York Region (AS York) wants you to join its club – The Digital Literacy Club for Caregivers.

The club, taught by Tech Coaches and funded by the Cyril and Dorothy, Joel and Jill Reitman, Centre for Alzheimer's Support and Training at Sinai Health, is free for caregivers who want to improve their skills for a future that is becoming increasingly full of technology.

“It's so important because digital literacy is as important as literacy in this modern world,” said Chris Bint, CEO and chief learning officer for Tech Coaches. We need to get “everyone ready for technology.”

Bint said people need to be comfortable and confident using technology, which is where the club comes into play.

Twelve people will have the opportunity to join the club and will meet for an hour eight times over Zoom. Club members will learn one topic at each meeting with time at the end of each session for questions  — not just what was talked about during the lesson, but anything participants want to know about technology, Bint said.

“There is no (direction as to) where to take the conversation about technology.”

The first four sessions will be mandatory and include such lessons as participating in virtual visits with loved ones and health professionals and telephone scams and internet trickery. The remaining sessions will be determined by participants via a survey.

The club is geared toward the participants “keen on learning and building digital literacy skills,” Bint said.

Participants need to be a “little bit comfortable with technology. If the tablet is still in the box and never set up, it's going to be difficult to join a Zoom meeting.”

Participants must have a reliable tablet or computer, have an email address and high-speed internet for video calls.

The goal of the club is to “give people valuable information about technology. It's not about being a caregiver.”