New summer programs at Senior Planet from AARP

Robin Caudell, The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
·3 min read

Jun. 21—PLATTSBURGH — Beat the summer doldrums by learning something from the new slate of courses offered by Senior Planet from AARP at the Senior Planet Exploration Center, North Country, at Champlain Centre.

"Our programs begin on Monday, July 20, but we will be hosting registration for our courses starting next Monday, June 26 through Thursday, the 29, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

"We will then host registration again the following week beginning Wednesday, July 5 through July 7, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. as well," Marco DiGirolomo, director, in-person experiences, Senior Planet and Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP, said.

The center will be hosting a number of different programs specifically around its Creative Expression impact areas.

"So, we'll be running our new course called Digital Scrapbooking With Enwoven," DiGirolomo said.

"The program is a five-week series. Participants will learn to use Enwoven, which is an online platform for telling stories, capturing memories, and sharing knowledge. It's a multi-media tool that helps create curated collections of photos, videos, documents and even audio recordings. It lets you incorporate timelines and maps really allowing the participant to create a story through their digital photos, audio recordings, and videos they've taken whether it's on trips or throughout the years, but they want to tell a story with."

A Smartphone Photography Series will also be offered as part of the Creative Expression unit.

"Which shows participants how to take photos with their smartphones, whether it's an Android or an iPhone," he said.

"This is a program that participants really get a lot out of when they want to start using their phones to do photography a bit more outside of the typical digital camera or DSR camera."

Returning are foundational courses such as "Beyond the Basics," "Chrome Basics for Older Adults, "Computer Basics," "Instagram Fundamentals," and "Using Google Workspace Tools."

"One program that we're reintroducing to our center is our 'Tech Tank," which allows participants the opportunity to come in and have a hands-on experience with new and innovative technologies such as ChatGPT, which is an AI text-based platform, the Meta Oculus, which is a VR headset that allows people to do virtual reality tours of different countries as well as play games in a virtual reality," DiGirolomo said.

"One of the more popular technologies that we showcase through the Tech Tank is our Amazon Alexa, which many participants have said prompted them to end up purchasing an Alexa to use at home, specifically around the voice assistant feature of the Amazon Alexa."

Registration for courses will be in-person only at Senior Planet located in the Champlain Centre, 60 Smithfield Blvd., in Plattsburgh.

"They'll come in," DiGirolomo said.

"They'll register with us, and they'll receive a confirmation, which will remind them when their programs will be taking place. Then on the first day of programs, they will receive their course materials, which they, of course, will be able to keep after the program."

For more information, phone: 518-612-4153.

Email: rcaudell@pressrepublican.com

Twitter@RobinCaudell