Pandemic prompts the elderly to make a digital switch

New Delhi HT Image It is 11am on Friday and a digital literacy class has just begun on video communication platform Zoom. But the pandemic has led to an exponential demand for digital skills among them, with senior citizens aged 60 to 85, turning to online workshops organised by NGOs, startups, volunteer groups. Most say their children do not have time and patience to teach them digital skills,” says Himanshu Rath, founder, Agewell Foundation, which provides free online digital literacy classes for senior citizens. “Initially, our participants were from Bangalore only; now they are also from Delhi, Chandigarh, Pune, Udaipur, Raipur.” Sonali Sharma, head, advocacy and elderly empowerment, HelpAge India, another NGO, which provides free digital training to seniors all across the country, says that of all the workshops her organization conducts for seniors, the digital training one is the most popular. Most of our members are well- educated, middle-class senior citizens, wanting to use technology to live independent lives.” Agrees Saumyajit Roy, co-founder and CEO, Emoha Elder Care, a company that provides elderly care services, “Earlier, seniors who are our members, were quite hesitant about video calls and ordering things online.