Late last month, Senior Planet from AARP in San Antonio was elated to participate in the 23rd Annual Low Vision Expo. The 3-hour event was specifically designed for the low vision community in San Antonio, bringing together (both virtually and over the phone) dozens of San Antonio seniors to learn about the various resources and devices available to them.
The program itself featured a range of informative presentations, all tailored to empowering and assisting individuals experiencing vision impairment or blindness. Senior Planet staff in San Antonio provided a 20-minute presentation on “Creating Community Online,” and shared expertise on why getting seniors online and engaging with their communities can be such a life-changing experience.
The Low Vision Expo was made possible through a collaboration with the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Low Vision Resource Center, Owl Radio and more than two dozen other community partners. It was through this local collaboration that helped make the event such a success–even with all the hurdles associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the team here at OATS and Senior Planet, the Low Vision Expo was a truly inspiring event, and a clear sign of what can be accomplished when groups work together to connect with groups in need.
While we’ve helped thousands of older adults get online since our founding in 2004, we’ve ramped up our efforts to take on a new challenge: identifying and reaching older adults who are socially isolated and have limited means. We believe that technology has the power to change lives, and it’s our goal to break down the digital divide for seniors of all backgrounds.
To that end, OATS and Senior Planet from AARP will continue to partner with local organizations — our catalyst partners — that serve older adults and are looking to bring technology programming and expertise to their senior networks. Just like we did at the Low Vision Expo, we will work collaboratively to develop specialized and hyper-local programming that will foster social connection between seniors and break down digital barriers.
It is our mission to help seniors of all backgrounds learn and use technology so they can excel in the digital age. We look forward to expanding these partnerships and bringing our expertise and programming to communities across the country.