Kent Co. senior millage extension to boost nonprofit’s new technology support program

A Grand Rapids nonprofit offering impartial residing providers obtained a lift final week when Kent County voters prolonged a senior providers millage that may assist the group’s lately launched know-how help program.

County voters in final week’s election permitted the eight-year senior millage extension by a large margin, based on the Kent County clerk’s workplace. The millage will generate about $13.3 million this yr to help greater than 50 providers.

Senior Neighbors, a Grand Rapids nonprofit that helps native seniors preserve independence, final month introduced its technology support program that features group workshops, one-on-one help and a know-how lending library for residents over the age of 60.

Nonprofit officers say this system will assist seniors adapt to — and take part in — the quickly shifting know-how panorama.

“One of many widespread themes with plenty of our shoppers is the sensation of being overwhelmed by the know-how calls for of their lives,” stated Peter Kortenhoven, Senior Neighbors program coordinator. “A whole lot of the providers they apply for, plenty of the varieties and communication occurs through the web — on-line paperwork and issues like that.” 

Primary tech literacy has turn out to be an vital key to impartial residing, Kortenhoven added. 

“I believe know-how is an space the place we’re leaving the older era behind the quickest,” Kortenhoven stated. “We simply thought it’d be nice to have a program to bridge that hole.”

This system will equip seniors to make use of know-how for a wide range of functions, together with speaking with household and pals, finishing on-line purposes for providers and navigating telehealth programs.

This system’s curriculum additionally contains an introduction to cybersecurity threats and web fraud, which price seniors greater than $3 billion final yr, based on the AARP. 

“We’re hoping that we will make an affect in that regard so far as instructing them what to look out for, who to answer and who to not reply to, and what the markers are of somebody attempting to get their info,” Kortenhoven stated.

Voters help seniors

Shortly after Senior Neighbors introduced the know-how help program, roughly 71 % of Kent County voters permitted an eight-year extension of the county’s senior providers millage, based on unofficial election outcomes. 

The Space Company on Growing older of Western Michigan (AAAWM) administers the millage funds in partnership with 32 native companies.

Every year, the AAAWM identifies priorities for the millage funding. Know-how was recognized as a precedence in 2021, and native officers chosen Senior Neighbors because the associate to deal with that want. The Kent County Senior Millage Assessment Committee, made up of county commissioners and older adults from the group, permitted Senior Neighbors’ proposal.

“We’ve seen the necessity actually develop since COVID hit,” Kendrick Heinlein, AAAWM’s director of contract providers and program improvement, stated of know-how programming for seniors. 

Whereas a wide range of help providers can be found to seniors within the space, most now require primary know-how expertise to entry the programming, Heinlein stated. 

“(Senior Neighbors is) a trusted associate. We’ve labored with them because the millage began in 1999,” Heinlein stated. “Their proposal actually had a mixture of in-home and sophistication periods, which we wished … and it actually targeted on serving all older adults.” 

This system welcomes all adults over 60. 

“The underside message I wish to painting is that everybody is welcome and we actually wish to make a distinction and assist them increase their independence,” Kortonhoven stated.