Tech session aimed at helping seniors and visually impaired

As cellphones, tablets and computers become more elaborate, some senior citizens and people with visual impairments struggle to keep up with the latest technology, but the Montana Association for the Blind is sponsoring a workshop Monday at 12:30 p.m. at North Central Senior Center to help people learn the operating tricks.

Judy Neely, member of the Hi-Line chapter of the association, said technology Jerry West will be coming to the senior center to help people learn how to use their technology. She added that this is the first year that this workshop has been held in Havre.

“A lot of older people don’t know how to use all the things in their electronic devices,” she said. “They might be able to make a phone call out on their phone, but they don’t use them to their capacity. If we don’t have someone that is knowledgeable to teach us older people, then we just kind of stumble along.”

Neely said the workshop will allow people to bring in their smartphones and West will work with each person and address any questions or concerns they have about their devices.

“What he’ll do is, like, if you come in and you have a cellphone and you can’t get it to scroll, he’ll show you how to do that,” she added.

Neely added that West will also bring aides with him to work with people who have limited vision.

Neely said she has “young people in my family so I can tap their knowledge,” but that there are many older people in the community who don’t have that familial resource.

When people are younger, Neely added, one of the worst things they can imagine happening to themselves is losing their sight. People feel like they can’t do anything anymore and Neely said that is how most people who come to programs sponsored by Montana Association for the Blind feel.

The Montana Association for the Blind is a statewide, non-profit organization. It was founded by blind and visually impaired Montanans in 1946. The association has 10 local chapters across the state and is supported by donations and sales of calendars. Donations can be made to any of the local chapters or to the state office.

The pamphlet for the association says its work focuses on bettering the “lives of blind and visually impaired Montanans with our summer training program, teaching needed skills to newly blind adults and by advocating on issues affecting the blind and visually impaired.”

Montana Association for the Blind’s mission is to “promote the economic and social self-sufficiency of blind Montanans” with various trainings and “to foster a positive understanding of blindness.”

It holds a summer orientation program for people who have recently experienced vision loss to show them ways to live independently and function in their home, community and at work.

“They’re just scared, and we teach them at our school that there’s joy and life and independence beyond all that once you learn a few things that you need to learn to just cope,” she added. “I love the program. Just love it. I’m visually impaired myself.”