By Alec Marchant
Staff Writer
In 2009, Gesualdi and Jan Buike, Older Adults Program supervisor, wondered how the senior citizens could learn to use today’s technology. With technological sciences constantly advancing, they weren’t sure senior citizens could adapt to the new advances.
“I thought about myself as a senior citizen and what it would be like if I didn’t have anybody to teach me anything new and exciting,” Gesualdi said.
With fresh ideas, the outlines of the “Seniors Helping Seniors” program took shape. As Gesualdi and Buike’s planning came to an end, Gesualdi made an offer to her senior students to participate in their project as an assignment.
“I was really happy to see my students take my proposal of the project seriously,” Gesualdi said.
The program is designed to help seniors learn how to use new technology. At the first meeting, held last June, students were assigned tasks based on the senior citizen’s requests, ranging from help with Facebook to cell phone use and iPod tutorials.
“I was completely astounded to see that the senior citizens and students made such a great connection; it was such a nice surprise,” Gesualdi said.
Not only do Costa’s seniors help the elderly, the senior citizens aid the students by providing life lessons and stories about growing up. The program fosters a more direct relationship between the young and old of the South Bay.
While most of the students help the senior citizens with the use and functionality of the internet, some seniors felt confident in their developing skills and tackled using graphing calculators. Nearing the end of the first session, there was an overabundance of happy faces. Several seniors were glad to use calculus again for the first time in many years.
The tremendously positive outcome of the meeting made “Seniors Teaching Seniors” an effective group that has the power to influence people’s lives.
“It was such an amazing turn of events; the only thing better would be to hold the meetings more often,” Gesualdi said.
In addition to meeting in June, the “Seniors Teaching Seniors” group met once more in May and hopes to be able to hold meetings monthly in the new year.
“I love math, Ms. Gesualdi and old people, so I hope to join when I’m a senior,” junior Elizabeth Bundy said
The Mira Costa campus serves as a useful facility for the senior citizens interested in technology because the Jocelyn Center, where they usually meet, lacks a computer lab and the resources needed to use new technology.
The organization has reciprocated positive reinforcement; the club’s heads have received emails about how nice it is for the older citizens to have a place to hang out and stay in touch with today’s youth. The workshops have been successful in achieving their goals.
“All of my students really enjoy the time they have spent with the senior citizens and vice versa; the club turned out to be a real success,” Gesualdi said.
Although meetings for this year have ended, “Seniors Teaching Seniors” will continue in the new school year and hopes to increase its size dramatically. The club is now looking for people with experience in different types of technology.
“We have the to ability to help these people, and it really means a lot to them when people who they don’t really have much in common with try to make a connection,” Gesualdi said.
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