The number of older adults who are eager to try new technologies is increasing; however, they may face challenges and lack skills to safely navigate the digital age.  According to the FBI, scams targeting individuals 60 and older resulted in over $3.4 billion in 2023, with over 908 cases being reported in Kentucky.  

To address the needs of educating those who have been out of the classroom for quite some time, the Simpson County Extension Service held a series of three classes geared toward the elderly interested in Digital Literacy.  The Family and Consumer Science Agent, and the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent collaborated with the Simpson County Literacy Council to provide three sessions to teach Tech Skills for Daily Life.  Effective Phone Navigation, Internet Safety and Scam Recognition, and Smart and Safe Tech for Everyday Life were presented in weekly sessions as well as Extension Publications provided as additional reference materials.  

We had a total of eleven participants, most of who attended all three sessions.  Based upon post-program evaluations, 100 percent of participants said they planned to utilize or have utilized the knowledge gained in the course and would recommend this program to others.  The participants stated that they liked the small group size as they were comfortable asking questions.  After four months, several participants are still using information learned in the class and have requested an additional class.  The most valuable things learned were: how apps track and use data, apps and security, navigating the phone and recognizing scams.