Barb says her mother is a very inquisitive person and always keen to learn.
“Mum has been trying to stay stimulated during physical distancing and being able to search the web has been a great way to do that,” she says.
Over the past few years, Patsy has become increasingly hard of hearing, which means catching up by phone has not been an option. However, Patsy has learnt to lip read and so any communications including video calls are very helpful.
“We gave her a computer and set her up on email a few years ago – but we really wanted her to be able to go down the internet rabbit hole and explore a whole range of interests,” Barb says.
With a bit of assistance from Barb, Patsy did a few Be Connected courses online and is now making video calls, has joined an online discussion group and regularly searches for information on Google. Barb and Patsy even sit down together to bank online.
“The information was clearly explained and focused on the skills that were most useful to Mum,” Barb says.
“Be Connected took Mum to a level of internet skills that has been very valuable during COVID. It’s opened up a whole new world to her.”
If someone you love would benefit from the Be Connected program, share the Be Connected website with them today. It’s a free learning website with over 140 short, easy-to-follow courses on everything from the basics, connecting via video calls to buying and selling online. There are also plenty of hints and tips on how to stay safe online.