On April 14, the people we support with Home Care services will have the opportunity to attend a technology workshop, and move toward closing the multigenerational communication gap in families.
Marlene Wilson, along with 20 attendees, will learn about the Internet, social media, sharing photos, emojis, apps and online trolling with her grandchildren, in a session facilitated by our Home Care team.
“To my grandchildren technology is a part of life; and technology to me is confusing – it would be nice to meet halfway, and this workshop will bring us closer together as a family unit,” Ms Wilson said.
Christine Abson, Mercy Community’s Home and Community Care manager, was the brainchild behind the idea to support people to live an independent life at home via learning new skills.
Ms Abson said the technology workshop was one way she can empower Home Care participants to connect to their families’ social activities and lifestyle from the Internet.
“I aim to reconnect them, so they feel connected to their family, friends and community in the virtual world from the comfort of their loungerooms,” she said.
“Human connection is what gives meaning to people’s lives and our role is to assist our clients to feel connected to their communities and feel like they belong, and this is one way of doing that.”
The Home Care team visits people 65 and over through Government subsidised Home Care Packages or through a fee for service arrangement, offering support with household tasks such as cooking or cleaning, transport, social activities, personal care, allied health sessions and exercise classes.
Ms Abson said she noticed seniors who are visited in their homes by her team sometimes felt disconnected from their grandchildren because they have limited technology skills.
“This is a way to keep grandparents in the loop, to share memorabilia like photographs [via technology],” she said.
Ms Wilson said her oldest daughter has many photos she shares via her phone and she’s on the Internet every day.
“Many people communicate this way and have a laugh together so it would be awesome to join in and close that gap,” Ms Wilson said.
The two-hour free workshop held at Zillmere will be facilitated by our Home Care team in Brisbane, who offer people like Ms Wilson a range of personalised community supports.
The workshop will include warnings and what to be wary of on the web, including common scams and what scam activity can look like.
At Mercy Community, we offer a personalised approach to Home Care, driven by values of integrity and empowerment, supported by a dedicated team with qualified training.
The workshop will be held at 131 Queens Road, Nudgee, with free parking onsite, and will have COVID safety measures in place.
For more information, get in touch with our Home and Community Care team today to find out more: 1300 927 062.
This story also appears in the March 2022 edition of The Catholic Leader.
