If you live in the Provo/Orem area, you are the most connected seniors of any mid-sized area in the U.S.

On Tuesday, the online survey company http://hotdog.com, released findings showing that 78% of U.S. households age 65 and over have internet, compared to 89% overall. However, less than 70% of senior households have high speed internet, a computer or smart phone.

In the Provo-Orem metropolitan area, 72% of senior households have high-speed internet, 86.5% have a computer and 83.7% have a smartphone. Across the entire country, those figures are 59%, 67.2% and 67.1%, respectively.

The COVID-19 pandemic has required seniors to become more engaged with technology and some of those numbers reflect that need as well, the survey indicated.

According to Hotdog, “A recent AARP report found that technology spending among older adults nearly tripled during the pandemic, and smartphones were one of the top three tech purchases for that demographic. AARP also reported that significantly more seniors texted, used video chat, and emailed during the pandemic than they did before.”

Provo seniors have Google fiber and Orem seniors can connect to UTOPIA fiber with a variety of ISP providers to help them with their connectivity.

Yet, there are still those who may have the connection, but know nothing on how to use it.

In September 2020, AdvisorSmith, an online business insurance advisory group, analyzed 3,983 U.S. cities and found Provo was then the No. 2 mid-sized city with the fastest internet speeds.

That doesn’t matter if residents don’t have the tools to use it, according to Joshua Ihrig, chairman of the Digital Inclusion Advisory Group for the United Way of Utah County.

Ihrig and his associates were concerned about residents who don’t have all the tools and fall into the digital divide, including senior citizens.

He notes there are three pillars to being in full digital inclusion. Without all three, you have exclusion.

Those three pillars are: digital devices, connectivity and knowledge and support.

“If you don’t have one, there is a digital divide,” Ihrig said. “Our goal is to get people a device and fill the knowledge gap, and make sure they have connectivity.”

While AdvisorSmith said 99% of Provo residents had access to 1 gigabyte per second of broadband, there are still many without it, or without the devices to use it.

According to United Way of Utah County’s Digital Inclusion Committee, there has been growth in all of these areas since Digital Inclusion started seven years ago.

It started with teaching senior citizens how to connect with family, do genealogy and other things that may interest them. It grew from there, with many residents showing great interest.

In Orem, the Senior Friendship Center has coordinated classes and trainings for its patrons for a while now, according to Director Gena Bertlesen.

“We have focused on connecting seniors to resources, family and friends for several years. During the pandemic closures we were easily able to connect with our patrons through Facebook, email and our YouTube channel. We continue to offer classes called ‘Be Smarter Than Your Phone’ that offers individual help for those who need it.”