Unrelated to the broadband world, I was lucky enough to volunteer for a Native American Elder Picnic in Minneapolis last week. There were booths set up to promote different opportunities; one of the booths was LiveLife Therapy Solutions. They were talking to folks about assistive technology available to make it easier for elders (and others) to stay in their homes longer. These services can be made available through state funding. Learn more in the video:

It seems like these tools could be a good entry point for older folks and folks with disabilities to start using technology.

The event was also an opportunity for me to talk with folks who aren’t big technology users. I spoke to one gentleman who has an email address but only accesses it when he’s in the library. He’s in Anoka County. He has the skills to use broadband but lack of device and cost that are his barriers.

I also learned that bingo is a hot seller to elders. That might be helpful to folks looking to get elders in the room for any technology related programming. Or turning devices into bingo prizes might be a way to get them to people who need them.