Seniors get connected to the digital world thanks to a new program

Chicanos Por La Causa’s (CPLC) Healthy Aging Program, aimed to better the mental and physical health of seniors, offers “Meals on Wheels,” housing, financial assistance, and now technology.

Their recently unveiled Cox Innovation Lab is getting seniors connected to the digital world.

Roberto Del Real, Director of Community Services at CPLC, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss their new program.

“That program has been around for over 40 years. It has been supporting Arizona for a very long time,” Del Real said, “…it’s a senior center equipped with a full commercial kitchen, that provides congregate meals for our seniors…a lot of education classes…we do everything that puts smiles on their faces.”

The program is grant-funded and supported by community partners who cover the expenses, which means the seniors do not need to pay anything.

“Seniors can give…a contribution to the program if they like,” Del Real explained, “…but if not, then we take care of that for them.”

CPLC had received funding through COX Communication to develop an innovation lab for the seniors. Del Real explained how they noticed how many of their seniors wanted to learn how to utilize the digital world.

“We just saw that there was a need there, and a curiosity from our seniors,” Del Real said, “…so we were able to be gifted this lab…and it’s thriving.”

Del Real discussed how they now have new VR headsets that they incorporate to allow the seniors to go to museums in their hometown, visit their old neighborhoods, and learn different classes.

“There are so many different lines of education that they’re getting from these little headsets,” Del Real explained.

According to Del Real, many seniors struggled during the COVID pandemic, as the center was forced to go online.

“A lot of them didn’t have access to that. This computer lab gives them access to that,” Del Real said, “…tele health…we do that also at the company.”