Bronx tech workshops help older adults stay connected in a digital world

At the Riverdale Neighborhood House on May 7, a room full of older adults leaned over phones and laptops, testing artificial intelligence prompts on Claude and ChatGPT for the first time.

One participant used AI to help write a birthday message. Another asked questions about online trust and misinformation. Several admitted they arrived intimidated by the technology itself, like 76-year-old Ginette Sengose, who attended the workshop after hearing more and more about AI in daily life.

“I came with knowing nothing, and left with knowing quite a lot, I think I’ll be able to use it,” she told The Press at the end of the workshop.

Across greater Riverdale, organizations are responding to a growing demand for technology education, particularly among older adults trying to navigate systems that increasingly require digital fluency — from online medical portals to Zoom appointments and AI-powered tools.

At the Riverdale Neighborhood House, that demand surfaced through a survey sent to more than 900 people on its mailing list. Technology workshops emerged as one of the most requested topics, leading the nonprofit to organize an “AI Basics” session led by local UX designer Shannon Brown.

Brown structured the session less like a lecture and more like a guided conversation. Participants were encouraged to bring their own devices and try AI tools in real time while discussing both the possibilities and anxieties surrounding the technology.

“You don’t have to love it, but you do need to know about it,” Brown told attendees. “This is a huge thing. It’s not going away.”

Brown explained how she uses AI in her own workflow to reduce repetitive tasks and streamline projects. She also addressed fears surrounding AI, including concerns about jobs, privacy and how rapidly the technology is evolving.

For Sengose, the workshop offered something more immediate: a sense of confidence.

“I’m going to be less scared,” she said. “We need this kind of help.”

Sengose added the class helped demystify concepts she had previously only heard discussed in fragments online or in the news. One of the most valuable parts, she said, was learning how to navigate prompts and identify trustworthy sources of information.

“My favorite part of today [was] when I discovered how to use [AI],” Sengose said. “The browser, where to go, the different prompts for Claude to get exactly what I need.”

Lidia Torres, director of community strengthening at the Riverdale Neighborhood House, said many adults approached the organization seeking help with devices family members set up for them, but they do not know how to fully use them.

“There’s a lot of fear around the topic of tech and AI,” Torres said. “You turn on the news, you turn on the radio, everybody’s getting bits and pieces of this.”

The organization is now discussing creating an intergenerational technology club that would pair teenagers with older adults for hands-on support with computers, phones and AI tools. Torres said many older adults rely heavily on children or grandchildren for help, but those family members are not always available.

That kind of intergenerational learning has already become central to programming at Riverdale Senior Services.

At the nonprofit’s recent tech expo, students from Horace Mann School sat side-by-side with older adults, helping them navigate laptops, Zoom, patient portals and online systems that have become increasingly necessary in everyday life.

Representatives from Senior Planet, a nonprofit tech literacy program from AARP, also attended to provide one-on-one support and answer questions about devices and online tools.

The event drew more than 70 attendees, including students, volunteers and vendors. Workshops ranged from online healthcare technology to AI-generated art and music, shared Riverdale Senior Services Program Specialist Barbara Denson.

In one session, older adults created digital artwork on tablets with the help of student volunteers. Another focused entirely on teaching participants how to use Zoom, something organizers said continues to frustrate many seniors.

“We certainly always keep the one-on-one tech help,” Denson said. “Our older adults really do appreciate having that time.”

Riverdale Senior Services has offered recurring technology classes for years, but its annual tech expo remains its largest resource. Workshops cover topics including email, photo sharing, online doctor appointments and patient portals like MyChart — systems that have become increasingly essential as healthcare providers move more services online.

“A good portion of it is that more and more of anything that they need to access, they’re asking people to do online,” Denson said. “They need to be able to take care of a lot of things online.”

As part of the expo, representatives from the New York Public Library’s Kingsbridge Branch highlighted the library system’s growing range of tech-help services, part of a broader effort to expand digital literacy resources in branches citywide.

T.J. Woods, New York Public Library Director of Technology Training Programs, said the library system is also rolling out AI-focused public panels and technology classes that range from beginner introductions to advanced coding and creative workshops. Topics include intellectual property, AI in education, mental health applications and music production.

At their core, Woods added, the library’s Wi-Fi resources and neighborhood outreach programs are designed to reach residents who may not feel comfortable entering a traditional classroom.

That role has become increasingly important in the Bronx, where the Center for an Urban Future reports more than one in five households still lacks broadband internet access and nearly one in three households does not have a computer at home.

The report described public libraries as being “on the front lines” of expanding digital access, noting Bronx libraries recorded more than 430,000 Wi-Fi sessions in fiscal year 2024.

“Everyone interacts with technology,” Woods said. “The lack of digital literacy, as technology is evolving, creates systems where people are left behind.”

After her workshop, Sengose said the larger takeaway was not simply learning how AI works, but realizing that older adults still have a place in a rapidly changing digital world.

“I don’t want technology to really close up,” she said. “Older people, we need to know about computers and all the new technology coming out. Everybody needs to know it.”