At age 80, Vera was feeling like there was not enough for her to do anymore. She spent most of her time sitting alone and watching television, and told her daughter that she was fed up with this way of life. Her daughter bought her a tablet for Christmas as a way to try to help, thinking that if Vera could connect more with the outside world online, she would start to feel better. 

Unfortunately, Vera couldn’t quite figure out how to use the tablet by herself, and her daughter couldn’t help because she does not live locally. Vera found out about Digital Angels and asked to get involved. 

Gail, a volunteer, began visiting Vera and helping her get to grips with using the tablet. Vera’s skills have come along quickly and she is now able to email and nurture her curiosity by learning about things online. Vera was eleven when World War II started and she had to cut her education short. She never lost a love for learning, however, and can now access information about a number of her interests. 

Vera feels much more relaxed and connected to the people in her life, even though they are not geographically close to her. She doesn’t panic as often when she is on her own because she can look up information online if she is confused about something. 

She says, “If people can afford to get a tablet it is worth every penny they can spend. It has so many uses – and there’s still more to learn! I can’t believe that I’ve received this help [learning how to use it] for no cost.”