Local group collects devices to connect seniors with their loved ones

MARQUETTE COUNTY — Groups are popping up all over Marquette County with new ways to help people during the pandemic. One group is collecting donations to give our senior communities more contact with their loved ones.

The Facebook group is called Tablets & iPods for Seniors. Coordinator Anna Dravland contacted area nursing homes and senior living facilities to see if they could use tablets and iPod Nanos for interaction and entertainment. The facilities eagerly agreed that these devices would be a great benefit to their residents.

Currently, many of the facilities only have one or two laptops to share between each of their residents.

“Think of one tablet for all these people in a day,” said Dravland. “They’re not getting to talk to family much, they’re not getting much time to send messages. My goal is to get 12 to each center so that people can have more time to spend talking. It’s way more sanitary, and they get a lot more quality out of this while they’re under quarantine.”

With seniors being one of the highest risk groups when it comes to COVID–19, it can be difficult to know how to reach out and help them during this time.

Dravland says the devices will be a great benefit to these residents both during this pandemic and after it ends.

“I don’t think people know what to do,” Dravland said. “I know for sure that this would be a massive asset to their lives, and really this would be a beneficial thing for the senior communities to have all the time for restricted patients and access and entertainment. We’re just all figuring out how to help people.”

To make a contribution to this project, you can visit the Tablets & iPods for Seniors Facebook group or contact Dravland by phone at (906) 362-1689.