A recent one-to-one digital skills session in Randolph County highlighted the meaningful role technology can play in supporting health, independence, and quality of life.
NC Digital Futures Digital Skills Educator Hannah Bradley-Cobb worked with an older gentleman who wanted to learn how to use a smartwatch to monitor important health indicators during the final stage of his life. His goal was to remain safely in his home, and he needed support using the device in a practical and manageable way.
Understanding his reluctance to spend valuable time learning unfamiliar technology, Hannah focused the session on only the most essential features related to safety and peace of mind. By simplifying the technology and tailoring the instruction to his immediate needs, the smartwatch became a useful support rather than a burden.
This experience demonstrates how trusted, local digital skills education can have a direct impact on daily life. Through the NC Digital Futures Program, N.C. Cooperative Extension helps North Carolinians gain practical digital skills that support work, learning, health, and everyday living.
The program’s vision is that every individual on a farm, in a household, and in business will have the digital skills necessary to earn, learn, be well, and live well.
