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THE SENIOR CONNECTS METHODOLOGY

How to Adopt an Independent Living Facility in Your Own Community

Senior Connects is a proven method of teaching senior citizens basic computer and Internet skills in their own Independent living facility. Through the website, suggestions about how to get started and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are answered. Senior Connects is a program for high school students, college students, and exceptional middle school students (that are ages 13 years are older will be considered). Senior Connects has an Advisory Board that consists of kids that have experience using the Senior Connects approach. This is a program designed to help empower senior citizens by teaching them how to email friends and family members and access the Internet. In the increasingly competitive environment that we live in, it is a way for mature and self-directed youths to distinguish themselves and show prospective employers, prospective colleges, and/or themselves that they are extraordinary members of their community.

Senior Connects is a student-run corporation and program. We require that each person agree to use the program so that we will offer a consistent service. This program has been tested and proven, and following it maximizes the chances of a successful experience for all concerned.

Please carefully read this document and thoroughly review the website. The home page contains links directed to the corporation’s three primary constituents - senior citizens, youth volunteers, and Independent Living Facility managers. Show the document to and discuss it with your parent (or guardian) and your mentor (if you are 17 years of age or younger). Completion of the Senior Connects Teaching Method Application provides us contact information if someone in your community asks for volunteers - and we will be able to forward local requests for assistance to you so that requests are efficiently processed. This application is designed to make certain that you have discussed your participation in this program with your parent(s) or guardian, are of the minimum age (15 years old except in extraordinary circumstances), have thoroughly reviewed this program, do not have any additional questions, and agree to abide by the Senior Connects methodology. Sometimes, a Long Term Care Facility may ask us if you are participating in the Senior Connect program. Once you complete the application, we will confirm that you are doing so. We will not release any identifiable information to any third party without your specific approval. This excludes your parents (or gardians), your mentor, or Independent Living Facilities that you have provided your password to. A password can be any word that you make up and that others won’t generally be able to guess. Click here to read more about our privacy policy.

When deciding if this program is for you, consider if you have the time available during the weekends or after school to be able to assist senior citizens. Generally, each class requires you to meet with one or two individuals for 45 minutes per week for approximately five or six weeks. In addition, one can anticipate 10-15 minutes of class preparation time per lesson. Once you commit to helping an Independent Living Facility, you have to come through for the individuals that are counting on you. Click on the attached project plan (here) to help understand the time and milestones necessary to successfully participate in this program.

When you have questions about the application or anything in the training method document, you can email support@seniorconnects.org and talk with your parents or your mentor. *  When working with this program, you’ll find that some questions can be best answered by the Independent Living Facility’s Program Coordinator, Director of Resident Services, or the Manager of the facility you are working together with.

Facility directors, such as Sunrise Senior Living's Mrs. Julie Boone, play a significant role
in the program's success

One component of the Senior Connects program is to help teach leadership, management, and responsibility to youths. Since it is a learning program and since many of our members are students that are 17 or younger, it’s helpful to receive advice from an adult (18 or older) that we like and trust. Those individuals that are 18 or older are not required to select a mentor - but are strongly recommended to do so. The Senior Connects program is oriented towards students that are more self-motivated and can work independently while working with a mentor as opposed to being part of a more formal and structured local organization. Your mentor should be a member of “your team” from which you can receive advice and suggestions, and a person that you can use to bounce ideas off of. A Mentor should be at least 18, and it is recommended that college student volunteers consider an adult both older than them and with different experiences than themselves. Talking with and planning this program together with your Mentor is an experience that students will be able to add to their resource of life-skills that will help enhance their chances for extraordinary successes.

You will also learn more by reading the sectoin for volunteers on the home page - it will pose questions for you to consider and help you understand your responsibilities.

There should be no cost associated to getting involved in the Senior Connect program and adopting an Independent Living Facility. The Independent Living Facility that you choose should have or be able to order computers for their residents to use. Some Independent Living Facilities may not be able to immediately participate because they do not have public computers - Senior Connects is attempting to obtain funding by applying for grant money to assist in this process. If you identify a facility that can not afford to purchase computers, please send an email to funding@seniorconnects.org. We will tell you what the status of the fund raising is or work with you to try to obtain computers at no cost in your own community.

Senior Connects Corporation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation registered in Indiana. We are working to obtain the necessary state approval so that all donations will be tax deductible, but have not yet obtained it. Donations to the corporation are always appreciated, however, it’s important that those volunteers using the Senior Connects training program not solicit funds or any other compensation from any senior citizens since your real mission is to help teach seniors. Funding that an individual directly obtains for the corporation will be used in that person’s community, if you so request. Please contact funding@seniorconnects.org if you have questions.

There are facilities that offer various levels of care to their residents. In fact, some facilities provide adjoining facilities that provide everything from independent care to hospice. Generally, the best person to ask about the appropriateness of teaching residents computer and Internet skills is the representative at the facility that you contact, but experience indicates that independent living facilities are the best place to start since the residents will have the cognizant skills to be able to fully participate.

Independent living facilities can be identified by conducting a Google search, contacting your Chamber of Commerce, calling a local hospital, looking in the phone book’s Yellow Pages, or contacting a state agency on aging or social services. There are many other sources for this information but if you experience difficulty, please contact support@seniorconnects.org.

Based upon experience, a phone call to introduce yourself will provide much better results than an email. Call the Independent Living Facility, and ask for the Program Coordinator, Director of Resident Services, or the person that coordinates service projects. After offering that person your name, explain that you are interested in providing a service project to the residents that will teach them basic computer and Internet skills so they can access the Internet and send emails to their family and friends. Managers and coordinators have a duty to protect their residents from the schemes and scams that are far too prevalent in today’s society, and consequently it’s important to make certain that the Independent Living Facility representative understands that this is a service project and there is no cost to either them or their residents for agreeing to participate in this program. Also it’s helpful to mention either the relevant organization that you belong to (e.g., Boy Scouts if you are performing this service to meet your Eagle Scout service project requirement) or the school that you are attending in the event that the manager or coordinator is seeking more information about you. The most important objectives of this phone call is to (a) identify a facility that is interested in this program, (b) briefly explain the Senior Connects training methodology, (c) generate interest in you providing their residents assistance, and (d) setting up a meeting where you can meet with the representative of the Independent Living Facility.

Marketing yourself to the representative of the Independent Living Facility - so they are comfortable inviting you into their facility and participating in the program is very important. Consequently, follow up the telephone call with (a) a letter of introduction that explains who you are, that this is a service project that is without cost to the residents and facility, what the facility can expect, and concluding by thanking them for their consideration, (b) a resume, and (c) two to three letters of reference. A sample letter of introduction is depicted below, but of course it should be relevant to the specific circumstances:

There is no obligatory structure that dictates how a resume should be constructed or formatted, but it should be prepared in such a way to give the facility manager a sense of your past experience and qualifications. Also, it will help the manager get to know you a little better, which is important since the facility is considering inviting you to interact with their residents - residents that they have both a duty and responsibility to. While a resume is a document that will help let the independent living facility get to know you, it should accurate and not exclude any material omissions that would be important for a manager at an independent living facility to consider when determining if you’re the right person to help their residents. A sample resume is depicted below:

Your name
Your street address
Your city, state, and zip code
Your phone number
Your email address

Education

The name of your high school (or college) - which grade or class you are in

• Your Grade Point Average, if applicable
• Clubs, sports, student government, or any other activities
• National Honor Society or any academic honors

The name of your junior high school (or high school)

• Your Grade Point Average, if applicable
• Clubs, sports, student government, or any other activities
• National Honor Society or any academic honors

Recognitions

• If applicable

Volunteer activities

Volunteer Using the Senior Connects program - 200X to present

• Using the Senior Connects program, I have assessed independent living facilities in my community to determine those facilities whose residents may be interested in receiving basic computer and Internet training
• Helping independent living facilities by upgrading their computer labs and teaching their residents basic computer and Internet skills. Currently, I am teaching XX residents at XXXX Senior Living
• I have worked with XXXXX Retirement Home and XXXX Senior Facility and taught a total of XX residents basic computer and Internet skills.
• Other relevant information

Volunteer Activity - Name of Organization - date you worked there

• What you did
• How it impacted others
• How it affected you - or what did you learn from this experience

Volunteer Activity - Name of Organization - date you worked there

• What you did
• How it impacted others
• How it affected you - or what did you learn from this experience

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A letter of reference should be written by any adult that is not a family member. It could be a teacher, a religious leader, or even an adult leader in a volunteer organization or club that you belong to and knows you well. Two to three letters of reference to include as attachments to the letter are ideal.

Preparing for the introductory meeting at the Independent Living Facility is very important. Make certain that the attire that you wear to the meeting is appropriate and “church casual.” Spend enough time reviewing the Senior Connect website so that you can explain the program, highlight the mission statement, and explain the four primary classes that you will be teaching (basic computer skills, basic Internet skills, search skills, and email skills). If this is your first time using the Senior Connects methodology and you sense that it would be helpful, consider brining your mentor to the meeting - it’s your choice. If you have helped other Independent Living Facilities using this program, offer to provide them and the manager or coordinator that you worked together with as references. Tell the Independent Living Facility Program Director a little bit about yourself - since the Independent Living Facility manager is really considering whether to become involved with you and to trust you to work with their residents. Make certain that you emphasize any other volunteer work that you’ve helped with in the past, the clubs that you belong to, any current or previous leadership positions that you’ve held in school, clubs, or associations, and anything else that you believe would help them make a decision to entrust you to help their residents. Sometimes just talking through your resume is a good way to talk about yourself.

When talking about the Senior Connects methodology of teaching senior citizens computer and Internet skills, you can explain that the course work is based upon the experiences of teaching many hundreds of senior citizens from the Carmel Clay Public Library in Carmel, Indiana. The approach of taking the training to independent living facilities and all other methodology is based upon actual experience by students teaching at Independent Living Facilities using the Senior Connects approach.

Specifically, the Senior Connects method is a self-directed approach of providing training to residents living primarily in independent living facilities. While we’re not a club or formal organization that everyone “joins,” the methodology it is a proven process to train senior citizens and a Website where other kids can provide you feedback, ideas, and suggestions to any questions that you may have.

When you contact an Independent Living Facilities that is interested in this program, they may have detailed questions about the program. If so, consider directing them to the Senior Connects website, and encourage them to ask any questions they have via email to danielkent@seniorconnects.org. Alternatively, they can send written correspondence to: Senior Connects, 14044 Honey Tree Drive, Carmel, IN 46032. Please email us in advance if you know a facility will be contacting us, so we can better respond together to their questions. Our practice is to copy you on our replies.

Often times, students will teach the residents after school during weekdays and during the weekend, when the manager may not be available. It is recommended that a weekly typed update be prepared so that the manager has detailed information about how the program is progressing. If an urgent situation arises, contact the manager (and your mentor) immediately rather than waiting to provide a weekly update.

If a resident offers a tip for helping them, you should never accept it. An important aspect of this program is to not accept money or any form of direct or indirect compensation from any resident. If a resident insists, ask them to thank their facility manager since that individual allowed you to bring this program to them. Failing that, suggest that they make a contribution to their favorite charity.

Do not enter a resident’s apartment - even when they ask to use their own computer for a lesson. It is important that you utilize the Independent Living Facility’s public computer labs. The negative of using someone’s personal computer is that it may have hardware or software problems that prevent you from teaching a lesson. Also, if the computer is damaged or breaks while you are using it or shortly after you have used it (or if this appears to be the case), the resident may hold you responsible for the damage and ask you to pay for it. Further, you may be held responsible for any damage that inadvertently occur in the apartment. Consequently, the Senior Connects method only allows teaching in public or common areas with the facility’s equipment. However, some residents may feel quite strongly that you should help them on their computer in the apartment, and you may wish to discuss how to respond to resident’s questions with your mentor or the manager of the Independent Living Facility.

If something unexpected happens while teaching at the facility, always use good judgment and whenever there is any doubt, immediately discuss the situation with your mentor, the manager at the facility, a parent, and/or another adult that you trust. There is no situation that you shouldn’t discuss with your parent (or guardian), mentor or the representative at the independent living facility that you are working with. In fact and when in doubt, make certain that you do discuss anything that is concerning you or that you feel your parent (or guardian), mentor, and/or the Independent living facility manager may be interested in knowing about or should know about.

When conducting classes at the facility, you should dress in a manner that senior citizens will not find inappropriate. Consider that you have been invited into the home where other people live so you should dress conservatively and in a respectful manner. Casual “church attire” is appropriate. If you have questions about your attire, consider discussing this with the facility manager.

If you are teaching a class and your cell phone rings, don’t answer it and apologize that it rang. One should turn your cell phone off or to vibrate when teaching a class so that any distractions are minimized.

Ideally, classes are most effective when taught on a one-to-one basis and the resident is able to spend most of the time using the keyboard and mouse to access the computer and the Internet. However, it is very difficult to teach more than two individuals simultaneously, and the Senior Connects program recommends against teaching more than two residents unless you are able to have another volunteer assist you during the class.

Because homework and tests can be difficult to predict, it is recommend that only one 45 minute session be scheduled after school during a weekday. During the weekend, it is recommended two classes be scheduled during the weekend. From painful experience, scheduling four or more classes in one day can be exhausting!

Prior to starting class, make certain that there is sufficient seating by the computer to accommodate all of the participating residents. The temperature shouldn’t be too hot nor too cold. It is important that each computer be checked well in advance of the first lesson to determine that they are operating properly, that all critical updates have been completed, the anti-virus software is current, and each is able to access the Internet. A form of checklist follows:

Report all discrepancies to the facility manager, and obtain the manger’s permission prior to making any changes or updates to any of the facility’s computers. A form of letter to the facility manger (with the findings at an actual Independent living facility) follows:

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Date

Your street address
Your city, state, and zip code.

The manager’s name
The manager’s title
The name of the facility
The street address of the facility
The city, state and zip code of the facility

Dear XXXXXXX,

Thank you for allowing me to review the computers on the third floor computer lab.

Both appear to be functioning properly, but require some maintenance that I would like to do with your approval. I would like to do as follows:

Install Norton Anti-Virus Software (that would be self-updating as new viruses are identified by Norton).
Complete a Windows scan and update both PCs with all recommended Windows critical updates. I am concerned that Microsoft is no longer supporting the Windows 95 operating system, and will let you know if this is the case.
Delete the Internet cookies and temporary files that have built up over the years - this will improve the performance of the computers
Complete the Microsoft recommended scandisk and defrag maintenance functions which will make the computers operate more quickly. It appears as if these functions haven’t been completed for a while.
Modify the accessibility functions so that the icons would be larger and easier for the residents to see and activate.
The computer specifications are depicted below:

I noticed that the left computer is missing a external phone line that would connect the modem to the phone line. I have the software and the required phone line so all of this would be done at no cost to your facility. As I complete these modifications, I’ll let you know if I identify any other issues.

Please let me know if it’s okay for me to proceed.

Thanks very much,

Your name
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A resident interest count can be obtained by conducting a survey as depicted below. Prior to distributing it, please make certain that you receive prior approval from the facility manger. Note that the font is 18 point and that the type is bolded. This is to make it easier for the residents to read.
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XXX Computer and Internet Interest Survey

XXXX Senior Living will be offering computer and Internet classes to residents interested in learning how to use email or access the Internet to find information about health, local news, and other information. Classes will be conducted by XXX XXXX, two students at XXXXX High School.

Please compete the following if you are interested in participating or learning more:

1. Do you have experience using a computer? Please check the appropriate box
None - I haven’t used one yet. . . . . _____
Just a little bit of experience . . . . . _____
I have a year or more of experience _____

2 Have you accessed the Internet before? Please check the appropriate box
Not yet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _____
I have sent or received email . . . . . _____
I have visited websites (surfed
the Net) to obtain information . . . . _____

3. What would you like to learn most by attending these classes?

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

4. Do you have any questions or comments?

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

Depending upon the number of residents that are interested in participating, classes will begin in January on Saturdays at 11:00. They will last 30-45 minutes, after which Daniel will be available to answer questions and provide individual help. If you are interested in participating or learning more, please return this survey to Mrs. XXXXX by ____________. Thanks very much.

Resident’s name ___________________________________

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Once you have received the results of the survey, you should establish a class schedule for the residents. There are several ways that this can be accomplished - discuss the alternatives with the resident manager. One method is to work together with the manager and match individuals, their skill level, and the available times. Another alternative is to allow the residents to sign up themselves on a sheet (as depicted below). Note the bolded 16 inch font that is used since some of the residents are sight impaired. No matter which method is used, each resident should receive a note with their class’ times and dates a few days before each class, as a reminder.

Saturday - Date

10:15-10:45 - (private lesson - one resident) _____________ _____________

11:00 - 11:45 - basic computer training class #1 for individuals that would like to start at the beginning (sign below)

_____________ _____________

1:15 - 2:00 - (semi-private lessons - two residents) _____________ _____________

2:00 - 2:45 - (private lessons - one resident) _____________ _____________

Saturday - Date

Sorry - I have to take the SATs on Saturday so there will be no class

Saturday - Date

10:15-10:45 - (semi-private lessons - two resident)
_____________ _____________

11:00 - 11:45 - basic computer training class #2 for individuals that would like to start at the beginning (sign below)

_____________ _____________

1:15 - 2:00 - (private lesson - one resident)
_____________

2:00 - 2:45 - (private lesson - one resident)
_____________

Saturday - Date

10:15-10:45 - (semi-private lessons - two residents)
_____________ _____________

11:00 - 11:45 - basic Internet training class #1 for those individuals that want to learn basic Internet skills (sign below)

_____________ _____________

1:15 - 2:00 - (private lesson - one resident)
_____________

2:00 - 2:45 - (private lesson - one resident)
_____________

Saturday - Date

10:15-10:45 - (semi-private lessons - two residents)
_____________ _____________

11:00 - 11:45 - basic Internet training class #2 for those individuals that want to learn basic Internet skills (sign below)

_____________ _____________

1:15 - 2:00 - (private lesson - one resident)
_____________

2:00 - 2:45 - (private lesson - one resident)
_____________

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Preparing for your first class is extremely important. Consider practicing by helping either your own grandparent or a friend’s grandparent. Use the training process and since this will be a more comfortable situation, you’ll be able to dry run the lessons before presenting it to an actual class. Explain why you want to practice and ask the grandparent to let you know if something isn’t clear to them or if they have questions. If you ask your mentor to watch you and take notes, your mentor may also have some helpful suggestions for you.

Ideally, the volunteer instructing the class should have a computer that each resident can watch as you demonstrate each aspect of the lesson, and each resident should have their own computer to use so they can get mouse and keyboard experience and practice everything that you are teaching. Consequently if you are teaching one resident, it’s ideal to have to computers (although sharing one between the two of you can work). When teaching two residents in one class, it is ideal to have a minimum of two computers so that both residents are able to practice what you are teaching and receive the maximum amount of computer “hands on” time.

By maximize the chances that this will be a great experience for the residents and by being able to answer the questions they have, you will increase the likelihood that most of your residents will stay through the classes and learn how to access the Internet. If you have specific questions about how to conduct a great class, discuss them with your mentor, parent, or email support@seniorconnects.org. However, there are several rules that seem to be particularly effective at keeping your classes interesting. First, make it fun. This is definitely not your high school or college classroom. Get to know the folks in your class. Remember that your job is to help them and you only succeed if they do. Show them where the card games are on the desktop. When someone catches on to something that was giving them difficulty, smile or give them a pat on the back. When someone makes a mistake, tell them a story about a mistake you made when learning about the Internet.

Next, make it relevant to them. Ask them about their hobbies and what interests them, and then show them how they can search and find the things that are of interest to them on the Internet. If it’s relevant to them and if they can see how the Internet will be valuable to them, the process of learning will be more “fun” and they’ll stick through your classes until they are able comfortably surf and send emails.

Thirdly, change your teaching style to meet the needs of each student. One of the reasons why the Senior Connects method of teaching recommends that you teach no more than two residents at one time is so that you can modify your teaching style to meet the needs of the resident. Some folks learn best by doing as you talk them though each step, others learn best by watching you perform a function and then trying it, and still others do best by reading a handout and first understanding what they need to do before they commence the process itself. Be sensitive that everyone learns a bit differently.

Fourthly, be flexible! Remember that we all have good days and days that are not so good. Sometimes the gift you are giving these seniors is not merely teaching them how to send emails to friends and family members, but kindness, patience, and a smile. While classes are generally scheduled for 45 minutes, some individuals may only be able to comfortably handle a 20 minute or 30 minute class. They are trying their best so we shouldn’t take it personally if a resident excuses themselves in the middle of a class. They may be trying their best - and they just become too tired to absorb additional information. If possible, end each class with a question and answer period so you can assess how everyone is doing.

Fifth, maximize the amount of hands-on-time each resident is able to spend on the computer. Recommend that they spend 20 to 30 minutes once or twice a week practicing what you’ve gone over in class between each lesson. Ask them to write down any questions they have during the week - and by coming a few minutes early to class, tell them that you’ll be able to go over and answer any questions that they may have on a one-to-one basis.

Sixth, give each resident a floppy disc so they do not have to store anything on a public computer. Explain the importance of keeping their confidential information private and using their floppy disc. The Independent Living Facility may have some extra discs or may be able to procure them for you. If you are unable to obtain discs for the residents that you are teaching, email support@seniorconnects.com for assistance.

Seventh, repetition is very important. Repetition is very important. Repetition is very important. As human beings age, their short term memory is sometimes affected, and it makes it difficult for some seniors to remember everything that you are telling them. And like everyone else, folks don’t like to tell you they don’t understand or to repeat something because they don’t understand. Consequently, anticipate this issue and review what everyone learned in the last class before starting a new lesson, and repeat anything that you feel the residents may not completely understand.

Eight, handouts and reference materials are very helpful to some seniors. Feel free to copy any of the materials on this Website to give to the senior citizens that you are helping. Obtaining one of the many “dummy” instruction books and loaning it or giving it to the facilities library also will be very helpful to some residents. Alternatively, summarize the information from some of the resource links - this can be helpful when providing written instructions to specific questions.

Some seniors have not gone to class for many years, or because of the aging process, may feel uncertain or even scared about attending your classes. And different individuals learn and different rates. Sometimes, it might be helpful to schedule a private one-on-one lesson with an individual that is having difficulty catching on in class - so you can focus your attention on that person and help them in private. One must respect individuals that are interested in learning more - and all of the residents in your classes are doing exactly that.

* A mentor is a responsible adult (18 years of age or older) that you know and trust. Your mentor can be your parent or guardian, a teacher, or any other individual both you and your parents (or guardian) are comfortable with and trust.

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