Senior Citizens step into the digital age at Linden Library

For the elderly, stepping into the digital age needn’t be ones taken with fear, instead, they should be steps that lead you straight to Linden Library, where a digital skills course for senior citizens takes place weekly.

Senior librarian, Senzo Nkwanyana, said the library slowly going digital brought with it some fears from the elderly within the community. So, to help take away the fear associated with using the computer, the library opted to host this free digital course for them. He explained the five week program, which will end in September, is held every Monday and has about 60 people who have signed up for it.

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In teaching the course he noted that people’s level of understanding is not the same. With some having a good understanding of it while others have no understanding at all. “They start to withdraw as they feel they do not fit in, and start to give excuses as to why they won’t take part.” But he is set on making a difference to the lives of these elderly. Another aspect to this course, that brought him great delight, was seeing the confidence of the elderly grow behind the computer screen, so much so that some even went on to buy themselves laptops.

Recently retired Jorinn Hofmann, said apart from sending and receiving emails, she did not know much about computers, “I think it’s important to keep up with the digital age because there is so much knowledge you’re going to miss out on if you are not able to access it.” She would find herself always impressed by people who could, as she put it, ‘do magic on the computer.’ “I was in awe of people who could bold this, underline that, and make this disappear and reappear; now I can also do it,” she said confidently. Hofmann credits this new skill for giving her a self-confidence boost.

Thelly Lambrakis joined the course so she could also improve on her knowledge of computers. For her, this experience has been nothing short of amazing and she applauds environments like the Linden Library for creating such courses for people in the community to utilize. “It would also be great for children, especially during the school holidays.” Though she had worked on computers years ago, she said she had since forgotten everything she had known. “I would do the course over again,” said Lambrakis, who went on to recommend this course to anyone.

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At 76-years-old Renée Champion said she has been a patron of the library, and after she saw an advertisement for the course, she found it very important to join, as she knew nothing about it. “Nobody teaches us old people; youngsters are born with a mouse in their hand. Now I have taken that opportunity to learn and have been very successful.” The new skills she acquired are how to: underline words, make them bold, put them in italics, or change their colour. She has learned how to create a Word document and an Excel spreadsheet, which she can now use to make her monthly budget. Champion thinks she will use Word quite frequently as it will enable her to write her letters. She encourages her peers to learn the same skill as the world around them is constantly changing and they need to keep up with the times.

For Heidi Helmrich this opportunity was a blessing in disguise, “I was in Standard 9 when the TV came in, so to me, digital was always something new or out of reach.” In her teaching career she would always find it challenging to use the computer, “A lot of the times people just didn’t have time to show you things, so a lot of times you just had to sit there and figure out what to do and how to do it.” Sometimes she would get so frustrated because all she wanted to do was to figure out how this thing works, but she just couldn’t get it. With the little she did know, however, she got by, but now she knows more.

Helmrich said there was always some measure of anxiety for her when using the computer; overwhelmed by thoughts of ‘what will I possibly ruin next’ – jokingly admitting she had, on some occasions, deleted items she wasn’t meant to delete. But now that’s all yesterdays worry as now she knows how to use the undo button.

All the course goers were eternally grateful for Nkwanyana and his patience with them throughout the entire course.

Details: Linden Library, 011 888 5685.

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