enTECH Donates Computers to the Community

Over the last two terms, the enTECH executive members reached out to local businesses in the Waterloo region to see if anyone had any unused technology that they were willing to donate. We noticed that individuals without access to technology would be disadvantaged during the pandemic since everything was moving online. With the help of local businesses, enTECH received several laptops and computers, and over the next few months, the executive members were busy repairing the laptops and computers so that they were in usable condition. We are happy to say that we were able to donate these refurbished computers to St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph and the Brain Injury Association of Waterloo Wellington! We are also very happy to hear that the recipients of the computers are enjoying their new technology!

We would like to thank the Canada Service Corps, the Government of Canada, and TakingITGlobal for making this project successful!

Venus Ho

EnTECH@home

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Last term, our team launched a new initiative to help people engage with technology during this unprecedented time. EnTECH@home was created to be a distanced support service provided by our team of UW students, to anyone in the community who might need a little tech help! Through calls and emails, our club and team of around 30 amazing volunteers have been able to help provide support to older adults with today’s technology. 

We were given a chance to spread the word about enTECH@home to the community by The Record, who we would like to thank for helping us achieve our goal. 

To read about our newest initiative in The Waterloo Record, check out the link below:

https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2020/07/01/uw-club-offers-free-tech-support-to-waterloo-region-community.html

Interested in volunteering for enTECH@home? Follow the application link below for more information!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHW7SE2mUefMfvEdjawpPbqyFQ-ouKtHfkwUw9htbyUAd8JA/viewform

Knowledge Translation: Implementing Technology Literacy Programs for Older Adults

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At enTECH, we believe that the idea of having young people help older adults use technology is a rewarding way to get involved in the community, is a lot of fun, and can make a big impact in the lives of all involved. 

Earlier this month, enTECH was pleased to present our knowledge translation toolkit. This project was created to provide a framework and aid any organization that is looking at starting a program similar to ours. The execution of this project would not have been possible without the leadership of Nathan Nagallo, an enTECH executive team member with a passion for making a change in long-term care homes.

“ My initial desire to start this project started in the Fall of 2018 when a colleague of mine approached me with an opportunity to lead a project using foundational concepts of knowledge translation, a process in which scientific data & research are converted into practical knowledge tools. We knew that the enTECH Computer Club played a vital role in helping older adults use technology to stay connected with their loved ones and we wanted to share this knowledge with other long-term care (LTC) homes. After a year and a half of learning more of knowledge translation and collecting data from the enTECH Computer Club and its stakeholders, the project finally took off and we immediately began to share it with LTC homes that needed it most.” 

“It was important to me that this particular knowledge tool was a descriptive and informative aid to help speed up the implementation process of technology literacy programs (TLPs) for older adults. With having a grandmother who lives in a LTC home in the Philippines and many families being physically separated due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I firmly believe that the inspiration behind this project and the support from my enTECH Computer Club colleagues will help revolutionize how older adults will stay connected not only with their families but with the rest of the world as well.” 

For more information about our knowledge translation toolkit or to download the content for yourself, check out the link below!

Local Technology and Education: NanoGrans Blog

EnTECH is always looking at our community for new and innovative ways to connect older adults with technology. This week, we are excited to share a new blog called NanoGrans, which focuses on engaging older adults with technology that interests them. 

Three ladies from two generations on a mission - to make exploring technology more relevant, accessible, and fun for older adults.

NanoGrans is a spectacular online blog that offers an insightful perspective about technology that older adults care about, in an accessible and clear way. Founded by three, passionate ladies from two different generations, NanoGrans aims to write about technology that is of interest to the older adult community by sharing this information in a way that older adults would want to read about it. This blog creates an atmosphere of accessible learning in a creative, inclusive and fun way. 

NanoGrans

For more information on NanoGrans, and to stay up to date with new blog posts, check out:

https://www.nanograns.com/

Or stay connected on Twitter

@NanoGrans

Local Technology & Education: The Bits & Bytes Computer Club

The Bits & Bytes Computer Club is an organization in the KW community which is also focused on providing adults better understanding about computers and other advances in technology.

This past week, enTECH was invited as the monthly speaker to speak at the Bits & Bytes Computer Club. Colin Whaley, a co-founder of enTECH, presented on updates in technology involving Smart Home, new releases of smartphones, video streaming services and more. Additionally, Peter Hoang, from the School of Pharmacy, came in to provide information on the opioid crisis and current progress on the epidemic within the KW community.

If you are looking for more opportunities to get involved in the community, engage in small group learning to improve technology literacy and learn a multitude of other topics, we highly recommend joining the Bits & Bytes Computer Club! Information about the club can be found here: http://www.bitsbytes.ca/meetings.htm

Want EnTECH to speak or host an educational workshop at your organization? Reach out to us at entechcc@gmail.com!

Peter Hoang, from the School of Pharmacy, and VP of Admissions from EnTECH sharing information regarding the opioid crisis and current progress on the epidemic within the KW community.

Peter Hoang, from the School of Pharmacy, and VP of Admissions from EnTECH sharing information regarding the opioid crisis and current progress on the epidemic within the KW community.

For more information on The Bits & Bytes Computer Club upcoming events, and general inquiries, check out

http://www.bitsbytes.ca/index.htm

Tech Blast: Apple Voice Control

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At enTECH, we are always excited to see the advances companies are making regarding accessible technology. While this can sometimes include purpose-built hardware and software, we have found that technology becomes most accessible when accessibility options are built into the devices themselves. 

Apple has historically been a leader in developing accessible technology: their VoiceOver technology has been included on their devices for years, and helps people with low vision or vision loss navigate their devices by having the phone read out what is happening on screen. Apple is releasing iOS 13 for iPhone and iPod Touch devices, and iPadOS 13 for iPads this fall, which are bringing a host of new accessibility features to the devices many of us use every day. 

One major new feature is called Voice Control, which allows users to navigate their devices entirely by their voices, which is a significant benefit for people with musculoskeletal and motor impairments. By accessing this function in the device’s Accessibility settings, the user is able to use the device completely hands-free, including moving around the device, opening apps, entering text, and browsing the web.

The YouTube channel Soldier Knows Best details this in the video below:

Unfortunately, these sorts of innovations in user experience are not given as much press time, as the ‘flashier’ features are not aimed at customers who may benefit from these types of technologies. As a club, we are happy to promote these sorts of features, in hopes that we may reach people who may not have learned about them otherwise.

If you know of any new software or hardware breakthroughs to help technology become more assessable to everyone, please let us know!

Welcome to the enTECH Outreach & Social Media Division!

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Dear readers,

It is my pleasure to announce the start of enTECH’s Outreach & Social Media Division! ENgage TECHnology (enTECH), is a student-led, volunteer initiative to target the unique needs of the older adult population through the provision of resources, education, and tools to help everyone engage with 21st Century technology. Since its conception in 2015, enTECH has continued to grow exponentially, serving much more than just older adults, and I am excited to provide a brief overview of its role and future directions for our first post.

EnTECH is an official Federation of Students Club at the University of Waterloo, and we are graciously partnered with the Research Institute for Aging and Schlegel Villages The Village at University Gates, where we deliver technological support and education to residents in both individual and group settings. enTECH is now expanding its operations to the oncology suite at Grand River Hospital, and we look forward to continue developing our partnerships in order to better serve the needs of the community.

Given the unanimously positive feedback we have received from the residents we serve, enTECH is now being studied as an intervention to reduce depression and social isolation, and improve quality of life in older adults living away from their families. The study will be starting in Fall 2019, and has been awarded the Network for Aging Research’s Catalyst Grant. We hope that its results can lay the foundation towards future improvements in programs for older adults. In addition, we will be organizing the enTECH Lecture Series in Fall 2019, where we will be inviting professors and professionals from varying fields to speak about topics on geriatric technology.

Finally, with the initiation of our Outreach & Social Media Division, enTECH can now be followed on many social media platforms including our blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will also be sending a bimonthly newsletter covering varying aspects of the club. We encourage you to send us your stories on how enTECH has changed how you view and use technology!

There is a lot in store for enTECH this year, and we are always happy to hear from you with feedback, partnerships, and any wishes to get involved!

Sincerely,

Peter M. Hoang
Co-Founder, enTECH Computer Club