What’s New at RiverWoods

RidgeCrest Residents are Becoming Computer Geeks with the Assistance of Dick Stover

January 18, 2007

The start of a new year is often seen as a new beginning for all of us, making resolutions and trying to figure out how to improve our lives in some way.  For Dick Stover, a RidgeCrest Court resident at RiverWoods Senior Living Community, the New Year marked the beginning of his involvement in the computer lives of the residents on the RiverWoods campus.  Dick Stover started a Computer Club for residents that meets on the second Tuesday of each month in the Creative Arts Room of RidgeCrest and will be open to non-residents in the future.

“Since many residents receive hand-me-down computers from their children or grandchildren, I thought a Computer Club would allow them to make good use of them,” Dick said.  “Many of the residents would like to become more computer savvy and learn more ways to keep in touch with their families via email and by sharing photos.”

Upon Mr. and Mrs. Stover’s arrival on campus in June 2003, Dick was known as the “computer guru” among the community, assisting both residents and staff with their computer dilemmas.  As a result, he decided to team up with the Community Service Administrator, Karla Mitchell, to form this Club.  Initially, its purpose is to serve as a refresher course and as a learning adventure for the residents.  Dick foresees the Club turning into a “user’s club,” where it will serve as a common ground for the residents to help each other with their questions.  Twenty- five to thirty residents on campus currently are active computer users, and he figured that a Computer Club might create a larger, more knowledgeable group of people that are technologically savvy. 

Eighteen people attended the first meeting.  Dick will teach the basic computer skills and work his way up to email, the Internet, the use of Word and Excel, and possibly digital photography. 

“The educational goals of the Club will come from the members so that we can give all attendees better computer skills,” Dick said. 

The Computer Club is in addition to the Continuing Education classes that he taught in October and is also a great way to allow the residents to contribute ideas on how they would best learn and retain the information presented. 

“A very useful part of this Club will be the assignment of homework for members to complete and discuss at their next meeting,” Dick commented. 

Dick Stover has been working with computers since the 1960’s and was employed as an electrical engineer before he retired.  He’s been conducting computer training for about ten years now and enjoys working with the other residents.