NYCHA Resident Educates Fellow Seniors on the Wonders of Technology

NYCHA resident Adrienne Gregoire calls them the “aha” moments. 

They are the times when Ms. Gregoire sees her fellow seniors learn to use digital gadgets like tablets and discover the wide-ranging benefits of technology.  

“It’s incredible that there’s always something to learn, and it gives you hope,” said Ms. Gregoire, 69, who grew up in NYCHA housing in Brooklyn and currently lives at Meltzer Tower in Manhattan.  

As a career educator, Ms. Gregoire found it a natural fit to have the chance to work with elderly residents as they explore the use of computers for accessing essential services online and connecting with loved ones. She was given the opportunity when she recently joined the Senior Planet NYCHA hotline team, which provides personal assistance and tutoring for elderly residents who may have difficulties with navigating online resources or using tablet devices properly.  

Ms. Gregoire was one of the 10,000 NYCHA senior residents who received a free, internet-connected T-Mobile tablet this past spring thanks to a partnership between Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office and Older Adults Technology Services (OATS). The effort was initiated to help senior New Yorkers combat social isolation and have improved access to critical health information during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.   

In using her free device, which was her first tablet, Ms. Gregoire has experienced some of the same technological discoveries as her fellow seniors by seeing how the gadget’s various features operate. 

“That was the best thing that could’ve happened to me because I didn’t know what I didn’t know,” she said of learning to use the tablet. “There’s a lot of stuff I didn’t know and still don’t know, so this is a complete learning experience.”  

While Ms. Gregoire has had a computer for a number of years, many of the other senior tablet recipients have not previously owned a computer or tablet, and were not familiar with how the technology can be used for taking virtual classes, ordering food, or online shopping. But many are now using the devices to attend religious services through Zoom, and connect with family and friends via social media, which can help ease feelings of social isolation during the pandemic, Ms. Gregoire said.  

“It’s so uplifting and inspiring; I just hope more of this can happen,” she said of the tech benefits that seniors are receiving.  

Senior Planet, which is a program of OATS, has a “genuine mission” to connect seniors with technology, Ms. Gregoire noted. For the longtime teacher, joining Senior Planet’s hotline team is a “dream” role, as it allows her to give back to society while educating fellow seniors who want to learn about the advancements of technology.  

Having taught middle school and high school youths during her career, Ms. Gregoire noted that senior learners have life skills that younger students haven’t yet developed. She added that while older citizens may not always be the target demographic for the latest tech product, Senior Planet seeks to make sure they are recognized as a resource within the tech community.  

For Ms. Gregoire, part of that mission is to help convert the senior participants from “digital immigrants into digital pioneers.” 

“From a philosophical point of view, how are we going to be a successful society unless we include this invaluable human resource?” she posited.  

NYCHA seniors who are seeking technology assistance and are interested in learning more about Senior Planet can visit https://seniorplanet.org/locations/new-york-city or call (646) 590-0615.