Elderly are up to speed with web

Young men armed with laptops, samosas and kebabs were the gateway for some elderly residents as they were taken around the world wide web.

They provided an experience via the digital world on laptops and ipads, creating a portal through time to their earlier years and birth places.

One elderly resident aged 90 visited her birthplace Grimethorpe where she relived her childhood memories and friends through the internet.

She exclaimed in excitement recognising some places that still existed many decades on.

She expressed her gratitude and happiness at being able to revisit past places and capture her memories from nearly a century ago.

The young men from Kumon Y’all, Dewsbury, and a local Madressah Talimudeen in Batley joined forces to extend a helping hand to these elderly residents, introducing them to the digital age and showing a snapshot of what bandwidth the internet can achieve in connecting people and places like never before.

They transported other residents elsewhere, to different parts of the globe, allowing them to experience life in a different time zone.

One young person, Uzair Fajandar, 17, said: “Wow. What a wonderful experience teaching our older generation different aspects of this modern day internet.

“It was not just about teaching but also learning from them to see how life was back then.”

A spokesman at Wellington Court said: “The young men quickly assessed if the residents had any experience. The residents thoroughly enjoyed themselves.”

Other inter-generational activities that promote a good understanding between all concerned are now being planned.