Senior High Tech Comes To Rock Springs

Posted on 10/01/19

Young At Heart Senior Center

Sweetwater County residents can receive free one-on-one tutoring on their cell phones and other mobile devices thanks to high school students from Rock Springs High School on October 10 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Young At Heart Senior Center in Rock Springs.

The event, called Senior High Tech, is a collaboration between the school, as well as AARP Wyoming and the Young At Heart Senior Center in Rock Springs. The training is free and there is no requirement to be an AARP member in order to take part in the event. In addition to the tech tutoring, a free lunch, courtesy of AARP Wyoming will be available on Oct. 10.

Providing technical support for the event will be students from Rock Springs High School Fire, Law, and Leadership Academy, which is headed up by Academy Director, John Cundall.

“A big part of the FLLA here at RSHS besides working with our outstanding business partners on careers in fire, law and other leadership positions, is our students giving back to the people of the community,” says Cundall.

AARP Wyoming has been sponsoring Senior High Tech events for two years with the first series of Senior High Tech events happening thanks to a collaboration between AARP’s Goshen County Community Group, The Goshen County Senior Friendship Center, as well as students from Lingle-Fort Laramie High School’s student council and Future Business Leaders of America groups.

At each event, a group of students from the local high school provides one-on-one tutoring sessions to those age 50 and over in the community. During past Senior High Tech events, high school students have helped citizens with questions such as finding old emails, sending photos to loved ones, or adding apps to the phone. These are typically easy answers to offer and the library does have WIFi, allowing for work online.

AARP Wyoming supports the events as they help address issues with social isolation, both in-person at Senior High Tech events, as well as by helping those age 50 and over to better engage online. According to studies, social isolation has the same health impacts as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.

Senior centers, or service organizations interested in holding a Senior High Tech in your community can contact Tanya Johnson at: tajohnson@aarp.org.

New Partnerships for Senior High Tech

Following the technology tutoring at 1 p.m. will be a presentation by Wyoming Relay. The Wyoming Relay/Deaf Services Program is proudly offered by the Wyoming Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, an agency of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. The Wyoming Relay/Deaf Services Program provides numerous services to individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or speech impaired, and to individuals, businesses, or agencies that work with or assist these individuals. Wyoming Relay staff will be on-site to offer various forms of assistance for those who struggle with hearing loss.

Given the importance of technology, AARP Wyoming and Mountain-Pacific Quality Health are also working with the Lander Clinic to help Young At Heart Senior Center clients better understand the importance of patient portals. Mountain-Pacific will host a Patient Portal Clinic on October 16, 10:30-11:30am at the Young At Heart Senior Center.

Patient portals are an online tool that make tasks such as requesting prescription refills, setting up appointments, asking questions and getting referrals easier. Convenience leads to greater patient engagement and often helps patients when following doctors' orders, which can lead to improved clinical outcomes. On Oct. 10, Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County will be on-site to explain the importance and the ease of using patient portals. For more information on the patient portal demonstration, contact Crystal Morse of Mountain Pacific Quality Health at: cmorse@mpqhf.org.

Please bring your smartphone, laptop, iPad or other electronic device to login and retrieve your health information during this demonstration. For more information, contact Crystal Morse with Mountain-Pacific Quality Health at 307-439-2370 or cmorse@mpqhf.org.

  • 30 -

This story is provided by AARP Wyoming. Visit the AARP Wyoming page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.

Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide

Upcoming AARP Events

View All AARP Events

image of two AARP membership cards
Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal
  • Immediate access to your member benefits
  • Discounts on travel and everyday savings
  • Subscription to AARP The Magazine
  • FREE second membership
Join AARP
Already a member? Renew or Print Card