Digital consultation hours for seniors: Get help in Kandern now!

Digital consultation hours for seniors: Get help in Kandern now!

In a world in which digital technologies shape our everyday lives, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many people, especially seniors, to keep up. However, digital participation is essential for integration into society. So reported Jaumann publishing house that seniors often have difficulty using cell phones and laptops. In order to counteract this trend, the DRK district association in Lörrach has launched a digital consultation hour, which is offered at four locations: Müllheim, Neuenburg, Bad Krozingen and once a month in Kandern.

The digital consultation hours take place regularly every 14 days and have the goal of enabling older people to participate digitally through one-to-one advice. Two volunteer digital pilots, Joachim Schmid and Thomas Meyer, are ready to share their experiences and respond to individual needs. The consultation is designed to last 45 minutes per session to ensure targeted support.

Expanding supply and increasing demand

In view of the positive feedback and increasing demand, there are plans to expand the offering in Kandern. The DRK sees digital participation as an opportunity to reduce loneliness and promote an active life. President Gerda Hasselfeldt of DRK highlights that access to digital technologies and information is crucial for maintaining social contacts and participating in community life. This makes it even more important to invest in the training and confidence of older people in their digital skills.

However, the training does not involve frontal teaching. This method has proven to be of little use. Instead, the focus is on interactive, needs-based offers, which in the future will also be supported by additional volunteers in order to be able to guarantee comprehensive help.

Challenges and support

The digital divide should not be underestimated. A large number of older people, especially those with low incomes or from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, are affected by digital inequality. The Digital Opportunities Foundation also comments on this and points out the need to promote digital skills. Their guide “Digital Skills for Older People” offers guidance on how to better identify and respond to the support needs of this target group. The guide emphasizes that, in addition to media literacy, confidence in one's own abilities also plays a major role in enabling seniors to actively participate in digital life.

Sustainable digital participation therefore requires not only the right technical equipment, but also financial resources and comprehensive training offerings that create the conditions so that everyone, regardless of social background, can benefit from the advantages of digitalization. The DRK strongly calls for increased funding to support vulnerable groups in order to address this important social challenge.