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Seniors get computer savvy in Austintown
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Auggie Ruggiero of Austintown checks out some websites during a computer class at the Austintown Senior Center. The class meets weekly and is taught by volunteers from the Austintown Local School District. Barb Kliner, district grant coordinator, met with seniors Tuesday to discuss helpful websites such as AARP.com, RetailMeNot.com and Amazon.com.
By Elise Franco
Austintown
Weekly classes for local seniors prove that folks don’t have to be young to be computer savvy.
Twice per week, local senior citizens can take a computer class at the Austintown Senior Center that teaches them everything from how to set up an email account, to using a word processor to surfing the Internet and paying bills online.
Through January, the intermediate class meets at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and the beginner class meets Friday at noon. Beginner class time may change after the end of the month.
Barb Kliner, grant coordinator for the Austintown Local School District, is one of several district employees who volunteer to teach these classes.
“As a part of the district’s partnership with the township, our people are at the senior center several times per week giving computer lessons,” she said.
Kliner said she usually leads one class per month and focuses on various ways to utilize the Internet and search browsers.
“Some work with them on the technology part,” she said. “I help them figure out the, ‘Now that I’ve got the computer part down, what can I do with it.’”
Kliner’s Tuesday lesson included coupon websites such as Coupons.com and RetailMeNot.com; Online shopping sites such as Amazon.com and Overstock.com; and sites that benefit seniors’ daily lives such as AARP.com and PUCO.Ohio.gov, which gives an Apples to Apples chart for natural-gas prices.
Mary DeLucia and Auggie Ruggiero, both of Austintown, said they come to the class each week to keep up with advancing technology.
“Everything is online now,” DeLucia said.
Ruggiero said he’s done basic computer work for years but decided recently to sharpen his skills.
“My kids are both on there all the time,” he said. “I’m not an expert, but I’m getting better.”
DeLucia said she enjoyed learning about new websites, such as Overstock.com.
“I do pay my bills online already, but I’ve just started doing some online shopping,” she said.
Kliner said the more computer-related skills senior acquire, the better off they will be.
“Knowing these different sites allows them to better utilize the computer,” she said. “If they can go on and get information they wouldn’t normally have access to, it’s a good thing.”
For more information call The Austintown Senior Center at 330-953-1416.