Let’s be honest, if you’re over 60, you didn’t grow up with technology at your fingertips.  You certainly didn’t have an iPad to watch cartoons at six years old.  Many of us learned the basics through work or by teaching ourselves.  However, there are still so many tips or tricks that would be helpful to know without having to ask your grandchild.  That’s why Stefano Selorio started his company Carevocacy; to help seniors learn more about technology on their terms.  FirstLantic recently hosted Selorio at their Florida headquarters where he explained how he developed the concept and why it works.

 

Selorio realized that the pandemic was forcing many older people into social isolation and that technology could help alleviate that.  However, he also knew that some seniors didn’t have the skills to connect through video calls, etc. so came up with the idea while he was in college at NSU Florida.  He then won 5k in a business pitch contest which helped him get his company started.  On top of his $5,000 cash prize, he also received a complimentary membership to NSU’s Broward Center of Innovation which is a public-private partnership between NSU and Broward County.  As Selorio says, “Carevocacy is helping older adults learn about technology through remote live classes so that they can stay connected with their loved ones. We’ve been able to help older adults connect to Zoom (to speak with their grandkids) and allow them to talk to their healthcare provider via telehealth.  The vision was to create a caring culture in healthcare.”

 

So, how does Carevocacy work?  There are basically three steps.  The first is to speak with one of their team members over the phone so they can find out what you are interested in learning.   Carevocacy then matches you with one of their companions that can best support your needs and they schedule your first session.  The third step is getting started with your companion who will guide you through the lesson.  The best part is that the sessions are designed to be affordable, and you can choose either a private or group lesson or a subscription plan.   Pretty simple, right?

 

The bottom line is that there are available resources to help you learn how to get in touch and stay connected.  In addition to Carevocacy, there are also other companies that cater to helpings seniors through technology as well such as OscarSenior.com which is a friendly communication app that help family members to stay in touch with their elderly loved ones and to take care of them remotely.  Firstlantic has provided a list of other resources here.  So, don’t let another minute go by.  Get started today so that you don’t miss out on any more of those special moments with family and friends.

 

To read more FirstLantic blogs, click here.