Free seminars are being conducted for people over 50 years of age who are bewildered by the computer or unsettled by the Internet.
People over fifty years are being offered free computer classes this week to allay their fears of the computer and the Internet. These sessions are being conducted by Age UK in Abingdon, who will be conducting a whole week of free trial classes of their computer courses.
Any person of fifty years or above could visit the charitable institution’s centre in Abingdon, located in West St. Helen Street that Wednesday and Friday for availing assistance in using the computer, accessing the Internet and checking their email between 10 in the morning till 1 in the afternoon.
A 77 year retired military volunteer, surveyor and teacher from Kensington, Mr. Brian Henagulph whose children and family live in Devon could talk to them over the Internet through Skype chat sessions after he had attended a course for many months.
He stated that he had gone to enhance his skills on the computer that was far below what his grand-daughter who was just twelve could accomplish.
Mr. Henagulph said that the trainers at the institute were of great assistance and had a lot of patience with the older people so they did not feel out of place or left out. He went on to say that he would sincerely advise people who have difficulty with computers to join the institute and learn the basics, saying that it improves life when you are able to make use of the computer.
He first started using the desktop at the Age UK and now has his own laptop. After having been instructed on both a laptop and a desktop at the institute, he is now in a position to handler his laptop with ease. He studied all the fundamentals like sending and receiving emails and surfing the web from Age UK.
He added that the professionals at Age UK have a lot of patience and with the older people and that he was not made to feel like a dumb fool. He said that his church also had a website and he realised how much he was missing when he had no knowledge of how to handle a computer and the Internet. The institute he said makes one feel really at home.
Ms. Rachel Kennedy of Age UK in Oxfordshire commented that they had heard from their colleagues that getting to learn using the computer and accessing the Internet was no rocket science as people were made to believe, so they urge every person over fifty years of age to join their sessions at their Abingdon centre and give learning computers a try. She said their free trial lessons were an excellent way to get the feel of computers without being obliged to join if they felt that computers did not interest them.
