dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Social Links
  • zedreviews.com
  • citi.io
  • aster.cloud
  • liwaiwai.com
  • guzz.co.uk
  • atinatin.com
0 Likes
0 Followers
0 Subscribers
dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
  • Technology

Virtually Supporting Seniors During This Stay-at-home Period

  • May 26, 2020
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

Online programmes to help seniors pick up using digital skills are now available, including IMDA’s new Virtual Digital Clinic.

It’s been a little over a month since the start of Singapore’s circuit breaker period. As the measures begin to gradually ease up this May, we are now slowly seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Even so, we must still remain vigilant amid the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Given their vulnerability to the disease, seniors are advised to continue staying at home and observe social distancing measures when outside. In the meantime, they are encouraged to pick up some basic digital skills that could make their stay-at-home stretch more bearable.


With the entire world pivoting to digital seemingly overnight, knowing the basics can help you participate more actively in the current global context—offering a way to connect with loved ones, partake in new online experiences and conveniently access government services.

As with learning anything, some things can seem difficult at first. But with enough practice and a little bit of guidance, you’ll become a digital pro in no time. To give you a hand, we’ve prepared a guide on where—and how—you can get started with your digital journey.

Enter the virtual digital clinic

The virtual digital clinic is a programme that lets you receive help with your digital needs within the comforts of your own home.

VirtualDigitalClinic_May2020_01
The virtual digital clinics will be an online version of the digital clinic initiative (seen above) launched in 2017

If it sounds familiar, that’s because these online sessions are an extension of the Digital Clinic initiative. Launched by the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) in 2017, digital clinics are volunteer-led programmes held at public libraries and community spaces to provide one-to-one concierge-type assistance for anyone who needs help using their mobile devices.

While the digital clinics have since become fully virtual, they still proceed in the same manner. In the virtual version, seniors can book an online ‘consultation’ session with a ‘digital doctor,’ a volunteer who is trained to provide assistance for any commonly used mobile apps or services.

“So far, we’ve received positive feedback from the pilot trials. I believe the topics we cover will definitely raise their digital literacy and help them to engage more digitally,” said Mr Moritz Phoa, a volunteer at the virtual digital clinic.

Some of the topics covered during these sessions include e-payment methods, using contact tracing applications like TraceTogether and connecting to Wi-Fi.

Each session lasts for 20 minutes and is conducted through the Microsoft Teams video conferencing platform. Seniors can also select their preferred language, as sessions are available in English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil.

Currently, the virtual digital clinic is set to run weekly from 15 May to 18 July every Friday (unless otherwise stated), between 2:00–5:00 pm.

The digital doctor is in

Booking a session with the virtual digital clinic requires access to three things:

First, an internet-connected device with both camera and microphone functions, which should already be built in for most portable smart devices, like laptops and smartphones.

VirtualDigitalClinic_May2020_03
Participant Mdm Ang attending a one-to-one virtual digital clinic session via Microsoft Teams with volunteer Mr Phoa.

Next, download the Microsoft Teams software by following the instructions on the site. Finally, you will also need an email address—you can easily set one up using service providers like Google or Microsoft if you don’t already have one.

With these three things ready, you are now ready to book an online session at the digital clinic! Upon registration, a confirmation email will be sent to your specified email address. Once the time to join the session has come, click on “Join Teams meeting” in the confirmation email you received earlier. After that, simply wait to be admitted into the session—just like a clinic!

For a step-by-step guide on how to join the virtual digital clinic and what to do after you enter, download the guides for computer/laptop or mobile/tablet in their respective links.

A digital learning journey

With the virtual digital clinic just clicks away, seniors can feel encouraged to take that first step in their digital learning journey.

Participant Mdm Ang Lay Ting said that one of her greatest fears was being ignorant about technology.

VirtualDigitalClinic_May2020_02
Participant Mdm Ang’s set up during her one-on-one virtual digital clinic session.

“Only by keeping abreast with technology will it allow me to engage and stay connected with the community,” she said.

Even during this circuit breaker period, Mdm Ang is learning about cashless payments and other digital services to help her with her daily tasks. “I cannot imagine what it would be like today without digital services available,” she quipped.

Aside from the virtual digital clinics, IMDA has also planned a whole slew of online activities to help you pick up new digital skills during this circuit breaker period.

For example, IMDA is collaborating with livestream celebrity Max Kee, a wholesaler of Lian Hua Seafood, to help pique seniors’ interest in going digital and purchasing groceries online. Starting 19 May, IMDA’s online Digital Pod Learning Series will also be streamed twice weekly to equip seniors with essential digital skills, from using social media to basic photo editing.

If you’ve found this guide useful and want to find out more, visit our suite of online resources on the IM Silver website, and have fun learning!

 

 

By Lim Zeng Hao

Total
0
Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Share
Related Topics
  • COVID-19
  • Digital Clinic initiative
  • IMDA
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Senior
  • TraceTogether
  • Virtual Digital Clinic
dotlah.com

Previous Article
  • Technology

NASA’s Plan To Build A Base Camp On The Moon Sounds Like Sci-Fi, But It’s Real

  • May 25, 2020
View Post
Next Article
  • Lah!

NEA Publishes Advisory To Assist Suppliers And Users In Making Informed Decisions On Various Disinfection Technologies And Products

  • May 26, 2020
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Gears
  • Technology

Apple Vision Pro upgraded with the powerful M5 chip and comfortable Dual Knit Band

  • Dean Marc
  • October 15, 2025
View Post
  • Gears
  • Technology

Meet Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Series: Packing Everything You Expect From a Premium Tablet

  • Dean Marc
  • September 4, 2025
View Post
  • Technology

Malaysia’s ‘ASEAN Shenzhen’ needs some significant legal reform to take off — here’s how

  • dotlah.com
  • August 25, 2025
View Post
  • Gears
  • Technology

Samsung Electronics Debuts Odyssey G7 Monitors, Showcasing Top Games on Its Displays at Gamescom 2025

  • Dean Marc
  • August 20, 2025
View Post
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Technology

Thoughts on America’s AI Action Plan

  • Dean Marc
  • July 24, 2025
View Post
  • Technology

ESWIN Computing launches the EBC77 Series Single Board Computer with Ubuntu

  • dotlah.com
  • July 17, 2025
View Post
  • Gears
  • Technology

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Raising the Bar for Smartphones

  • Dean Marc
  • July 9, 2025
View Post
  • Cities
  • Technology

Meralco PowerGen’s PacificLight starts up 100 MW fast-response plant in Singapore

  • dotlah.com
  • June 20, 2025


Trending
  • hong-kong-chloe-evans-l0y_HXhtJ1c-unsplash 1
    • Cities
    Where It’s Hardest to Afford a Home
    • April 30, 2022
  • 2
    • Society
    Is The Coronavirus Outbreak As Bad As SARS Or The 2009 Influenza Pandemic? A Biologist Explains The Clues
    • February 1, 2020
  • 3
    • Cities
    • Lah!
    ST Engineering Makes Senior Position Hire
    • September 2, 2021
  • sandor-szabo-vGg-oZfdXcc-unsplash 4
    • Op-Ed
    • People
    • Technology
    Embracing The Human Spirit In The Age Of AI. A Broader Perspective On Opportunities, Challenges, And Safety.
    • June 19, 2023
  • 5
    • Cities
    • People
    The World’s Most Powerful Passports Of 2020
    • June 23, 2020
  • Man walking on pedestrian by Ryoji Iwata 6
    • Features
    • People
    • Technology
    Behind The AI Revolution – Then, Now, And The Future – Are People.
    • July 17, 2023
  • 7
    • Engineering
    • People
    • Technology
    Three MIT Alumni Graduate From NASA Astronaut Training
    • March 8, 2024
  • Internet web platform on theme of very high speed internet 8
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Featured
    • Science
    Is Our Digital World Alive?
    • July 10, 2023
  • 9
    • Gears
    • Technology
    Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Raising the Bar for Smartphones
    • July 9, 2025
  • 10
    • Lah!
    Half Of Singapore-based Companies Impacted By Fraud Lost At Least US$ 1 Million
    • March 9, 2020
  • 11
    • Technology
    GovTech Licenses “SPOTON” Software To SMEs & NPO To Produce Smart Thermal Scanners
    • September 19, 2020
  • 12
    • Lah!
    Elevated Safe Distancing Measures On Public Transport
    • April 10, 2020
Trending
  • Bluetooth speakers 1
    Best Bluetooth Speakers Under $200 (2025 Edition)
    • October 16, 2025
  • 2
    Apple Vision Pro upgraded with the powerful M5 chip and comfortable Dual Knit Band
    • October 15, 2025
  • 3
    Apple unveils new 14‑inch MacBook Pro powered by the M5 chip, delivering the next big leap in AI for the Mac
    • October 15, 2025
  • 4
    Apple introduces the powerful new iPad Pro with the M5 chip
    • October 15, 2025
  • 5
    Singapore’s national identity excludes those who don’t look like a ‘regular family’
    • October 9, 2025
  • Smart Watch 6
    Best Smartwatches, Your Gateway to Health Monitoring and Everyday Use
    • October 5, 2025
  • Cooking pots and pans 7
    Best Pots and Pans 2025: All-Season, All-Purpose Picks for Every Kitchen
    • September 23, 2025
  • 8
    Politicians love comparing NZ’s economy to Singapore or Ireland – but it’s simplistic and misleading
    • September 21, 2025
  • Kitchen Knives - Best All-Around Picks in 2025 9
    Kitchen Knives : The Surgeons of Cooking – Best All-Around Picks in 2025
    • September 15, 2025
  • 10
    Apple unveils iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the most powerful and advanced Pro models ever
    • September 9, 2025
Social Links
dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Connecting Dots Across Asia's Tech and Urban Landscape

Input your search keywords and press Enter.