Senior Planet Montgomery Free Online Classes for Seniors March 8-12 will Include Online Bill Pay and Instagram Basics

For Immediate Release: Friday, March 5, 2021

Senior Planet Montgomery, a technology training program designed for County learners 60 and older, is offering free online classes that focus on how to thrive at home. Classes, which are offered live via video conference, enhance a wide variety of life skills. Classes will include Online Bill Pay and Instagram Basics.

In addition to classes in English, two classes during March 8-12 will be delivered in Spanish and one class will be delivered in Mandarin. A variety of exercise classes also will be offered.

During the summer and fall program quarters, more than 4,000 participants joined 213 virtual programs hosted by Senior Planet Montgomery. This winter, classes will cover how to use and host on Zoom, online basics, popular social media sites, lowering one’s utility bill, financial security and civic engagement.

The program is supported by the County’s Department of Technology Services’ ultraMontgomery program in partnership with nonprofit OATS (Older Adults Technology Services). The County’s Department of Recreation and Montgomery County Public Libraries also are partners in helping provide the classes at no charge to participants.

Sessions concentrate on user-friendly tools and resources and are designed to enable older adults to learn to utilize technologies to improve their daily lives. Senior Planet Montgomery utilizes curricula created by OATS, which also provides training staff and works with numerous County departments to identify topics of interest for Montgomery residents. OATS sponsors similar Senior Planet programming in six states. The County’s Department of Environmental Protection contributes to the program’s course offerings by producing sessions on how to lower energy costs.

Classes change on a weekly basis. A home internet connection and a device (such as a smartphone, tablet or computer) are all that is required to participate.

Classes to be offered March 8-12 will include:

• Online Bill Pay: Tuesday, March 9, 3-4 p.m. In this hands-on workshop, learn how to set up an online account with a utility company and explore its many advantages, including automatic bill pay and paying with a credit card or from a bank account. Learn how to better understand a bill using the color charts and graphs.
• Online Shopping: Thursday, March 11, 4-5 p.m. Buy products on the Internet from a computer and have them shipped home. Online stores often have larger inventories and lower prices. Lecture will provide a general introduction to shopping online using the popular website Amazon.com. Learn how to search for products, make comparisons, and add items to an online shopping cart.
• Instagram Basics: Friday, March 12, 11 a.m.-noon. Learn about this visually-oriented social media platform. Lecture offers an overview of Instagram’s more popular features and why it is one of the most used social media platforms.

Clases en Español:

• Cómo elegir una nueva computadora: Lunes, 8 de Marzo 11 a.m.-noon. ¿Buscando una nueva computadora? Esta sesión abordará unas preguntas más comunes alrededores de cómo elegir una computadora nueva: ¿Dónde empezar? ¿Qué marca es fiable? ¿Cuánto debería de presupuestar para la computadora? ¿Cuáles especificaciones técnicas? También vamos a cubrir sistemas operativos y comparar alternativas a la computadora tradicional, cómo por ejemplo, tabletas y Chromebooks.
• Todo sobre cómo elegir una nueva computadora: Miércoles, 10 de 11 a.m.- 12 p.m. ¿Tienes preguntas sobre comprando un computadora nueva¿Interesado en qué marcas son buenas? ¡Únase a este programa para que todas sus preguntas sobre computadoras sean respondidas!

Class in Mandarin:

• Mobile Health Apps 行動健康應用程式(三), 3/10, Noon-1 pm EST. 您知道您的智慧型手機也是一台能幫您衡量您健康狀況的工具嗎？這台講座會給您一些普遍健康狀況的應用程式的簡介，像是 iPhone 的預設應用程式和 Google Fit 的應用程式 。您會認識如何使用這些應用程式的計步器，而且融合其它熱門的健康和健身的應用程式上追蹤的資料。您也會學習把您資料存在您醫療卡上的好處

English Translation for Class in Mandarin:

• Mobile Health Apps: 3/10, Noon-1 p.m. EST. Did you know that your smartphone is also a powerful health tool? This lecture introduces common health apps, like the iPhone's built-in app and the Google Fit app. You'll learn about using the app's step counter, as well as integrating information from other popular health and fitness apps. You'll also learn the benefits of saving your medical ID.

For more information about Senior Planet Montgomery and to view its virtual program offerings, visit https://seniorplanet.org/Montgomery. The team can be contacted at 240-753-0676 or via email at mocoinfo@seniorplanet.org.

To sign up for the Senior Planet Montgomery newsletter, which includes detailed information about upcoming classes, go to https://seniorplanet.org/get-involved/newsletters/.

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Release ID: 21-161
Media Contact: Neil H. Greenberger 240-205-1915
Categories: Senior