Prepping seniors for technology

Ensuring that senior members of Barbados’ population are comfortable with changing technology and increased use of computerised processes is the aim of president of the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP), Marilyn Rice-Bowen.

The retired insurance executive, who is now at the helm of the non-governmental organisation, is firmly of the belief that if seniors lose their reservations about technology and become comfortable using it – whether in online banking, applying for a visa to travel, ordering groceries or paying utilities online – they will realise it is not difficult to master.

In a recent interview with Barbados TODAY, as she reflected on the country’s Independence celebrations, Rice-Bowen said she was so convinced there were many advantages to older people commanding the use of technology, that she was determined to make it part of the resilience plan for BARP’s 25 000 members.

Expressing particular concern for members in the over-70s age group, Rice-Bowen said those elderly persons were vulnerable to abuse and fraud and she believed their mastery of technology provided them with a level of protection from those who might have dishonest intentions.

“Quite a few of them thought the computer was going to go away, but instead the technology has become more refined and pervasive. We recognise that there is an urgent need now, because of COVID-19, to prepare our seniors to embrace the technology.

“We had started a programme that was curtailed after COVID-19 but we are going to reintroduce our Introduction to the Digital World in January. We recognise that we will need to have smaller numbers. Even smaller than the 40 that we would normally accommodate in our training room. We will also have to use other methods such as YouTube to reach the others.

“The major task is to get members prepared to embrace the technology because it is here to stay. Even if you are travelling,
you need it. If you want to apply for a Barbados passport or US visa, everything is being done online. It is not insurmountable but they just need to have a different mindset and accept that this is what is happening and they need to go with the flow,”
the BARP head outlined.

Reinforcing the need for seniors not to be afraid of using technology, Rice-Bowen noted: “The other important factor why seniors need to embrace technology is that it protects them from financial abuse. If you embrace the technology, you can stay at home and check your bank balances. You don’t have to give anyone your ATM card or your password for them to bring you back a piece of paper. Some people will take that card from an elderly person’s possession and they may not even know when it occurs and they become subject to financial abuse.

“Knowledge of the technology is a protective shield around your financial information so that if you can use the technology, access to your financial information is by you alone and not by others.”

Rice-Bowen, a well-known figure in business and community activism, lauded her organisation’s proactive approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, as she described the virus as a clear and present threat to all seniors in Barbados.

“We started very early when we realised the pandemic was heading our way . . . . We started immediately on our public education programmes for our members. We went on radio, national television; we used our radio programme and our social media platforms and amplified the messages that were being distributed by the Ministry of Health and we tried as best as we could to allay the fears of our members. Because we represent the most vulnerable of all groups on the island . . . when we looked at the rate at which people were dying overseas, we thought if we had got a hit like that, what would have been the result and who would have been left standing.

“We flooded our members with information and prepared them as best we could, through sharing information and not misinformation. We also had to encourage and guide them to the correct channels of information. We did this because just as much misinformation was out there as well. We told them that unless we endorsed it or it came from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, just discard it.”

And as BARP prepares for the uncertainty and hopes that come with a new year, Rice-Bowen reflected on 2020.

“2020 was a different year. It was a year that took us all by surprise. We were hit by the tsunami of COVID-19 but because of our resilience as a people, because we all valued life, Barbadians, in general, followed the protocols and thus we have ended up where we are today.

“We valued our lives and we did not take unnecessary chances like some other countries. There were some people who were of the opinion that it was a hoax and we in Barbados never thought that way. We followed the guidelines. 2020 was an eye-opener, it reshaped the world because of where we are now with job losses, but the year also created different opportunities. Technology was fast-tracked and so 2020 placed a different view on the world. It was not all bad.”

Of other plans for BARP in the new year and beyond, she added: “BARP continues to play a major role as a voluntary arm of this country and whereas there is an effort to get people interested in the concept of giving back, we own that concept. BARP is a reservoir of knowledge and our members will continue to give of their time, their resources and energy to this country.” (IMC1)