AUSTIN, Texas —
A group that aims to help bridge the gap in accessible health care is hosting a Health Technology Literacy workshop Wednesday in Central Texas.
The event is called CareYaya, and it's run by students at the University of Texas at Austin who plan to enter the medical field. The group connects medical and nursing students to elders in the Central Texas area to help bridge the gap in accessible care.
The students are going to be teaching a huge range of skills, from health technology basics like using the common MyChart portals, to working with artificial intelligence (AI), using ChatGPT and virtual reality.
"It's important because I think that we, as the younger generation, we really know how to use these innovations," UT Austin CareYaya ambassador Diya Bhatia said. "But I think it's even more helpful to the older generation who maybe has mobility issues or can't physically visit places or, even for artificial intelligence to come up for ideas for them. To really not only help their daily life, but to give them more opportunities to really explore AI has to offer."
The free event will give the elderly a crash course in various forms of technology while also showing how it applies to their daily lives and overall health.
The workshop is meant for those who struggle with things like the online portal for a doctor's office or hospital visit.
CareYaya students hope it enables people to take a more active role in their health plans.
"I have worked with elderly populations before, and especially listening to them and my own grandparents. I think it's so important for us – not only as the future generation, not only to involve them – but also to enable them to experience what we experience with this amazing technology," Bhatia said.
The event will be hosted for the Watermark at Southpark Meadows retirement community in Austin.
The students said if there is more interest, they will host more events open to the public.