Free Online Classes For Montgomery County Seniors: Nov. 2-6

GERMANTOWN, MD — Montgomery County seniors can take free online classes to learn how to better navigate life at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Senior Planet Montgomery, the county's technology training program for residents 60 and older, typically offers lectures, hands-on workshops, and multi-week courses at libraries and senior centers. But during this public health crisis, Senior Planet Montgomery is moving all its programming online.

Many of the online sessions will focus on online user-friendly tools and resources for seniors.

"More Montgomery County seniors are online than ever before," said Montgomery County Chief Information Officer Gail M. Roper. "The Senior Planet Montgomery programs provide a means for them to get more out of their internet availability, and we hope, more out of life overall. We have programs that are geared specifically to support the way seniors learn best — which makes so many things easier to understand."

Classes change on a weekly basis. From Nov. 2 to 6, participants will learn how to initiate a Zoom video conferencing call, choose the best smart home appliances, order food from third-party delivery apps.

Courses are also offered in Spanish.

Take a look:

Lighting and Smart Bulbs

• When: Tuesday, Nov 3, 3-4 p.m.
• Description: Lecture reviews common lighting terminology like watts and lumens and explains the differences between the many types of bulbs currently on the market. Learn which bulb offers the most in terms of energy efficiency that can help lower a utility bill. Additionally, explore the benefits of smart bulbs and smart lighting and how they can be controlled through apps and smart home hubs like Alexa and Google Home.

Hello Montgomery County

• When: Thursday, Nov. 5, 2-3 p.m.
• Description: Join fellow MoCo residents for an hour of socializing.

Food Delivery Apps

• When: Friday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m.-noon
• Description: Ordering food from home is now easier than ever thanks to the Internet. This lecture provides an overview of the most popular food delivery apps, such as Seamless. Learn the pros and cons of food delivery applications, how to search for new restaurants and how to leave a tip and rating.

All Things Zoom

• When: Friday, Nov. 6, 2-3 p.m.
• Description: Lecture will go over how to use Zoom to chat with friends and family, and how to take virtual classes with Senior Planet. Learn useful Zoom features on an iOS, Android or Windows devices and important security considerations.

Clases en Español:

Aplicaciones de comida a domicilio (Food Delivery Apps)

• Cuando: Lunes, 2 de noviembre, 11 a.m.-noon
• Descripción: Pedir comida en casa ahora es más fácil que nunca gracias al Internet. Esta presentación le da un resumen de las aplicaciones de entrega de alimentos más populares, como Seamless. Aprenderá sobre los pros y contras, cómo encontrar restaurantes nuevos y cómo dejar una propina y una calificación.

Todo Sobre Passwords

• Cuando: Miércoles, 6 de noviembre, 11 a.m.- noon
• Descripción: Las contraseñas se han convertido en una realidad al participar en el mundo digital y hacer un seguimiento de ellas puede ser una tarea ardua. Únase a esta charla técnica para analizar las mejores prácticas para administrar las contraseñas de sus cuentas en línea.

Click here to learn more about Senior Planet Montgomery and its virtual program offerings. You can also call and email the group at 240-753-0676 and mocoinfo@seniorplanet.org.