Looking for Tech Solutions to Improve Life and Have Fun?
When was the last time you tried to join a Zoom meeting and couldn’t figure out how to see everyone in the group or unmute your microphone? Perhaps you noticed someone else had a cool virtual background, shared his or her screen or provided remote support to help another person and you wondered how they set that up? Or maybe you’ve heard about new devices such as the Grandpad, the Portal by Facebook, and Amazon’s Echo Show with Alexa and wondered if one of the devices may be a potential solution for a problem you or someone you know is struggling with.
Technology is changing faster than ever and just as you get used to using a particular app, feature or device, it changes. It may be frustrating when something goes wrong, but it can also be exhilarating and empowering when you figure something out and it actually works! Would you like to learn to play games or watch a movie on Netflix “together” with a loved one or friend online? The first step is to figure out what is possible so you can begin to learn what your next steps should be to make it happen.
As much as you might like to throw in the towel and give up on trying to figure out how to be more “in the know” with tech, it’s not a good idea during these times of physical isolation. Society is relying on computers and mobile devices more than ever to educate our kids, help employees get their work done, and empower people who are lonely and bored to connect with friends and family and have some fun! Life is stressful on many levels. We need to connect with and support each other. The holidays are just around the corner and many of us will not be able to safely visit with our families and friends this year. It’s the perfect time to become more tech-savvy so you can create new online traditions and share activities even though you may not able to be in the same room.
I’ve joined forces with three wonderful nonprofit organizations to do what I can to help everyone leverage the benefits of technology to support individuals with a wide variety of disabilities and challenges. The first presentation on November 5th is focused on helping individuals with developmental differences and their families and caregivers as they transition to adult life. The second presentation on November 10th is tailored to help stroke and brain injury survivors and their families and caregivers. The third presentation on November 14th was created to empower senior care providers and older adults.
All three presentations are free, on Zoom, open to everyone, and require pre-registration. To learn more about the programs and registration, please go to https://innovativespeech.com/events/.