Technology can be harnessed to enhance our daily lives and that was what the “Taman Jurong MakeFest 2019” tried to showcase on November 2 at Taman Jurong Community Club. Organised by Taman Jurong Active Ageing Committee, the event was targeted at those aged 40 and above as well as senior citizens. Senior Minister Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam joined in the residents at the digital literacy initiative.
One of the event’s highlights was digital making, where volunteers showed senior citizens and adults who enjoyed doing craftwork on how they can infuse technology into crocheting. Another highlight was the one-on-one smartphone consultation session, which saw the volunteers helping the seniors to answer any questions they may have regarding their smartphones, for example: how to use sms, Whatsapp, watch videos and connect to Wifi.
Participants also learnt how to build a a simple chatbot, role-play with a robot, in addition to learnin the basics of flying a simple drone. They also got a first-hand introduction on how indoor plants can grow well under grow lights, which produce a balance of cool and warm light by replicating the natural solar spectrum of sunlight.
Apart from organising the “MakeFest”, Taman Jurong Active Ageing Committee also runs various tech classes for its seniors, ranging from basic smartphone usage, photography to internet navigation and using social media as it seeks to help the elderly to stay connected with their families and friends as well as becoming more comfortable with using technology.