I help Glenmeadow to plan and promote educational programs for older adults. This is a blog I penned for the life plan community’s website after a recent program.

Dozens of older adults had a chance recently to take some of the mystery out of using the apps—or computer software applications—on their cell phones, tablets, and laptops. 

They brought their questions to our second fall Glenmeadow Learning program, “Get Tech-Savvy: An IT Primer for Older Adults,” where men and women with varying levels of experience received an overview on apps, how you access them, and how much they cost. 

Three tech professionals were at their disposal to answer questions—everything from “Where is the App Store on my phone?” to “Now what does it want me to do?” and “What does this mean?”

The roughly 35 participants, who gathered at West Springfield Public Library, learned how to download Uber, for calling a ride (think taxi, as program leader Derek Allard said); Skype, for video calling with friends and family; and they experimented with various games from Words with Friends to Candy Crush. 

“This is great information,” one participant said.

Another said of Derek, “He’s a great teacher.”

In addition to Derek, the owner of Tunnel 7, which offers digital design and marketing services, the instructors at the program in mid-October were Ryan Askew, owner of Ryan Askew Web Design & Development, and Patrick Lostaglia, Glenmeadow’s network administrator. 

The three kept our audience engaged, animated, and very busy discovering apps and problem-solving usage.

Derek began the program with an hour-long overview about apps, how to find them on a phone or tablet, and how to download them and use them safely.

When downloading an app, he said the safest route is the app store on a person’s particular device; there one will find from 600,000 to two million different apps.

“Chances are, there’s an app for what you want to do,” he said noting there are programs for news, sports, weather, photography, creativity, games, education, communication, and entertainment. There are also what he called “niche apps,” which have a very specific purpose, such as identifying birds or plants.

An avid hiker, Derek said he has an app that allows him to identify the mountain peaks around him when he is on a trail.

Some apps are free, some have a one-time subscription cost, and some allow you to purchase things within the app, such as tokens in a game platform. Derek said app developers make money through the subscriptions and sales; those that are free recoup costs by selling user’s personal information.

“If you’re paying for an app it’s less likely they’re sharing your information,” Derek said. “If it’s free and you can do a gazzilion things, you can be sure they are using your information and creating a profile on you.”

Derek said each app treats user’s information differently, and those treatments are spelled out in the app’s terms of use; he said people don’t need to be paranoid or read all the terms. “But do a search on the app (in Google) to see how they use the information,” he said. “See if you’re comfortable with that. Be smart.”

Derek also recommended that app users create strong passwords, and keep them in a secure location. “Change them occasionally, especially after an app announces a breach,” he added.

Glenmeadow Learning is one of many free programs Glenmeadow offers to members of the wider community. It represents only one facet of the life plan community’s mission to serve seniors across the region and to operate as a socially accountable organization.

The third and final Learning program this fall will be held Tuesday, November 19 from 10 a.m. to noon at Agawam Public Library, 750 Cooper St., Agawam. 

“Environmental Responsibility: Taking Steps to Protect Our Planet” will be led by Terra Missildine, who will speak about how her mission to protect the Earth began and why it’s important for everyone to commit to doing so. 

The program is free, but space is limited, and reservations are required. To register, contact Jazlyn Wanzo at jwanzo@glenmeadow.org. For more information, or to register online, visit glenmeadow.org/events.

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Three area professionals to lead a hands-on workshop

WEST SPRINGFIELD—Glenmeadow will offer a presentation on technology and the many ways it can be used for entertainment on Thursday, October 17 from 10 a.m. to noon at the West Springfield Public Library, 200 Park St., West Springfield. 

“Get Tech-Savvy: An IT Primer for Older Adults” is the second program in the fall Glenmeadow Learning series, which provides free educational offerings in the community. In this workshop, participants will learn how to use apps—or software applications—on computers, tablets, or telephones to connect with friends and loved ones who are far away or to play games or get a ride.

The presentation will be led by Derek Allard, owner of Tunnel 7, which offers digital design and marketing services; Ryan Askew, owner of Ryan Askew Web Design & Development; and Patrick Lostaglia, Glenmeadow’s network administrator. 

Today’s technology makes it possible for us to connect with people through our computers, tablets, and telephones. Allard, Askew, and Lostaglia will offer an overview of how these tools work; participants will then break into small groups for a demonstration of programs that can be used for various purposes. 

Participants must bring a smart phone, laptop, or tablet.

Allard has been designing and building websites since the late 1990s.  His work has appeared in design books, but he gets most excited when designs help improve the overall business for his clients. He speaks regularly on many digital topics and when not working can be found hiking in the White Mountains where he is trying to summit all 48 4,000-foot peaks before he turns 50.

Askew brings 10 years of front-end web design and development experience, a varied list of local and nationwide clients, and a wide range of projects.

Lostaglia has been with Glenmeadow since 2016, serving the organization as the network administrator. Lostaglia has more than 30 years of computer experience, and holds over 150 computer and IT-related certifications.

Get Tech-Savvy is free, but space is limited, and reservations are required. To register, contact Jazlyn Wanzo at jwanzo@glenmeadow.org. For more information, or to register online, visit glenmeadow.org/events.

Glenmeadow Learning is one of many free programs Glenmeadow offers to members of the wider community. It represents only one facet of the life plan community’s mission to serve seniors across the region and to operate as a socially accountable organization.

Established in 1884, Glenmeadow is a nonprofit, accredited life plan community; it provides independent and assisted living at its campus at 24 Tabor Crossing in Longmeadow and expanded Glenmeadow at Home services throughout greater Springfield.  

To learn more about Glenmeadow and its history and offerings, visit www.glenmeadow.org. 

About Glenmeadow 

In the 1800s, elderly individuals without family or means were sent to live at what was called “the poor farm.”  In 1884, a group of civic leaders raised funds among themselves and other area families and purchased a house on Main Street in Springfield’s south end, establishing The Springfield Home for Aged Women. Quickly outgrowing that house, land was purchased on the corner of Chestnut and Carew streets, where a new home was constructed and opened in 1900.  In 1960, the name was changed to Chestnut Knoll, and, in 1992, it began to admit men.  

In 1993, the organization purchased a 23-acre parcel in Longmeadow to build a new community that would provide both independent living and assisted living in one building with various common areas.  This was a new concept known as a continuing care retirement community.  Existing residents from the old Chestnut Knoll property were moved to the new campus in 1997.  Shortly after the move, the board voted to change its legal name to Glenmeadow to coincide with the name being used by the developer of the property.  

Continuing care retirement communities are now referred to as life plan communities, responding to the needs of the aging population with new opportunities for care, plus creative, educational and personal exploration. Glenmeadow offerings, which include everything from senior living options and handyman services to personal care and travel programs, are provided at its Longmeadow campus and across the region through Glenmeadow at Home. Glenmeadow strives to fulfill its mission of nurturing the whole person in mind, body, and spirit.

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