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Project SOARR: Supporting Older Adults through Relationships and Resources

Help Older Adults SOARR with Technology

Become a Tech Mentor

Request Mentor Support

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For Phones, Tablets, & Computers

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The Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering (CIDE) is calling for volunteers to participate in a program designed to support older adults in learning and using technology to reduce social isolation and loneliness.

The project is networking with community partners to provide coaching, training, and materials to support older adults in Colorado and develop online teaching and support modules that local community Tech Mentors will use to help older persons in their community learn to use tablets/computers/phones, etc. for telehealth visits, social connection, banking, shopping, and other essential activities.

Registered Tech Mentors will receive access to online and in-person training, printable materials, custom tutorial videos, and practice scenarios developed by experts at CIDE. These resources have been carefully designed and developed with support from community partners who work with older Coloradans every day. 

Woman and Man with communication device having lunch
older couple using a tablet
Older couple using a tablet
  • About
  • Purpose
  • Project Goals
  • Project Team

The Supporting Older Adults through Relationships and Resources (SOARR) with Technology project was created to reduce social isolation and loneliness of older adults in Colorado through the application of technology. The project aims to develop resources to train 50 technology mentors throughout Colorado who will, in turn, train an additional 125 technology coaches to meet the needs of over 750 older adults.

COVID-19 has exacerbated existing health problems for many older adults, notably due to social isolation (which can lead to further health issues) and lack of remote access to healthcare (i.e., telehealth). While some federal funding is helping Colorado organizations supply the state’s seniors with technology, many of those organizations report not having the expertise necessary to support the training and accessibility requirements seniors need to ensure success.

The project began in late Spring 2021 to address that need and has focused initial work on developing an advisory committee, establishing community partnerships, conducting a statewide survey of older persons and gathering information through interviews, focus groups, and research on resources.

The two-year project is supported by the Daniel’s Fund. Over the next two years, the project will equip tech mentors with inclusive, supportive training options for older adults throughout Colorado.

More than 400,000 older adults are living with issues such as vision, hearing, memory, and mobility impairments. CIDE recognizes the need to invest in access to healthcare and the sense of community needed for older persons to achieve maximum independence and quality of life. As a community-based project, SOARR will form strategic partnerships and build strong relationships with statewide agencies to address gaps in technology accessibility, and rely on feedback from community members to create a meaningful impact on older adults across Colorado. Despite recent advances in telehealth delivery, older adults continue to need specialized support. In pursuit of these goals, Supporting Older Adults with Resources and Relationships (SOARR) with Technology aims to activate a statewide network of agencies, service providers, and volunteers to develop accessible technology resources and provide training. The SOARR project addresses the use of technology to achieve maximum independence and quality of life.

 

  • Disseminate disability accessible resources focused on practical answers to common technology pain points experienced by older adults with an emphasis on telehealth services.
  • Using a train-the-trainer model, SOARR will provide intensive training and ongoing support to older adults across the state to support their peers with technology use, starting with tech-savvy “technology mentors” who will, in turn, train additional “technology coaches.”
  • Form strategic partnerships to achieve statewide impact and to help determine specific, addressable gaps in technology accessibility for older adults.
headshotMaureen MelonisJim Sandstrum

Cathy Bodine PhD, CCC-SLP 

Director
Associate Professor
CCI Endowed Professorship
Speech-Language Pathologist


 303.315.1281
cathy.bodine@cuanschutz.edu

Maureen Melonis MNS, CCC-SLP/L

Associate Director
Research Senior Instructor
Speech-Language Pathologist

 

Expertise: Program Development, Leadership, Professional Development, Early Childhood, Augmentative and Alternative Communication

 

 303.315.1283
maureen.melonis@ucdenver.edu

Jim Sandstrum MA, SLP

Professional Services Coordinator
Research Senior Instructor

 

Expertise: ICT Access, Smart Homes, and Cognitive Technologies

 

303.315.1288
jim.sandstrum@ucdenver.edu

Goldie Komaie headshotElizabeth Coughanour 

Goldie Komaie, PhD

Senior Evaluator, Center for Collaborative Education Leadership


Expertise: Tracking, Assessment, and Evaluation

 

goldie.komaie@ucdenver.edu

 

Elizabeth Coughanour MA

Instructional Designer 

 

Expertise: eLearning development, materials & resource development, learning experience design

 

elizabeth.coughanour@ucdenver.edu

 

 

Participating Partners

Project SOARR Partners
AgencyDescription
Jackson County Council on AgingProvides information and referral services, caregiver support and transportation for older adults in Jackson County Colorado
Grand Seniors at Mountain Family CenterProvides resources and services for older adults (age 60+) in Grand County to help them maintain independence and continue living at home for as long as they would choose. 
Innovations in Aging Collaborative (IIAC)Promotes creative approaches to address the needs of older adults in the Colorado Springs area. IIAC plans to begin a pilot training and mentorship program in early 2022 with the goal of improving the digital skills (smartphones and tablets) of older adults through intergenerational relationship building.
Senior Housing OptionsOwns and/or manages Assisted Living facilities and subsidized housing communities for older adults and adults with barriers with a focus on enriching the lives of older adults across Colorado. 
CU Anschutz Multidisciplinary Center on AgingHosts a social isolation outreach program where students from either the CU Anschutz pharmacy, nurse practitioner or dental medical school programs will pair with an older adult to have weekly to bi-monthly social phone calls. 
Aging Services Coalition of NW ColoradoA coalition of older services providers, community members and agencies from Routt, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Jackson and Grand counties. 
Team RubiconServes communities by mobilizing veterans to continue their service, leveraging their skills and experience to help people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters and humanitarian crises.
VintageVintage is the Area Agency on Aging serving Grand, Jackson, Summit, Pitkin, and Eagle counties. Vintage provides and connects our community with supports and services that promote aging with independence and dignity for individuals sixty and older and their caregivers in their community of choice. 
City of Boulder- Older Adult ServicesOlder Adult Services is part of the City of Boulder’s Housing and Human Services Department. Our mission is to inspire and empower older adults to age well through connection, learning and play. We offer virtual and in-person programs and services in health and wellness, fitness, lifelong learning and case management.

Questions? Contact us!

CIDE's "Supporting Older Adults through Relationships and Resources (SOARR) with Technology" project is made possible by the support of the Daniels Fund

daniels fund logo

Center for Inclusive Design and Engineering (CIDE)

CU Denver

The Hub, Bioengineering

1224 5th Street

Suite 130

Denver, CO 80204


303-315-1280

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