THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2020 Page 13 avvya yavvy eniioor iorn or v Dear Frustrated, Unfortunately, the digital misinformation problem your mom is experiencing is not uncommon. According to researchers from Princeton and New York University, people aged 65 and older are up to seven times more likely to share fake news and dubious links on social media than their younger counterparts. Why? There are several theories. The fi rst is that many seniors started using social media sites like Facebook only within the past fi ve or six years and may lack the digital literacy skills to identify false or misleading content. Some other possible theories are that most seniors experience some cognitive decline as they age, making them more likely to fall for hoaxes. Many older Americans also suffer from chronic loneliness which can cause them to share misinformation as an attempt to make connections with other people. And studies have shown that older people are generally more trusting than younger generations, which can make them more gullible. All this is particularly concerning now as we sit in the midst of a global health pandemic and a 2020 election season, both of which are ripe with misinformation, rumors and conspiracy theories. And seniors are prime targets of this false/misleading information because they are much more likely to vote than their younger cohorts and are much more vulnerable to getting sick and dying if they contract COVID-19. Where to Get Help To help your mom detect and combat online misinformation there are several great resources she can turn to that off er free courses and tips. io iori by Jim Miller Helping Seniors Recognize Fake News and Propaganda Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any resources that you know of that can help seniors detect fake news? My 75-year-old mother shares a lot of misinformation with her family and friends that she sees on Facebook. I’ve talked to her about it, but for some reason she has a diffi cult time deciphering real news from fake news and propaganda. One is MediaWise for Seniors, a project of the Poynter Institute, which off ers two free online courses to help seniors detect and combat online misinformation – see Poynter. org/mediawise-for-seniors. The first four-week course has already fi lled up, but your mom can still enroll in a selfdirected course called “HandsOn Lessons to Separate Fact and Fiction Online.” It is hosted by Christiane Amanpour and Joan Lunden, and is scheduled to begin Sept. 24, but she can take the course anytime. In addition, Poynter has worked with AARP to produce Fact Tracker interactive videos and a webinar on spotting and fi ltering misinformation at AARP.org/facttracker. Some other free course options you should look into include Senior Planet, which is off ering a one-hour online course on “How to Spot Fake News” at SeniorPlanet.org. The News Literacy Project that provides the Checkology virtual classroom, which was initially created for middle and high school students, is now off ering an independent learners option that is ideal for older adults – see Get. Checkology.org. Their lessons will help your mom detect the diff erence between news, opinion and propaganda. Coursera, a free world-wide online learning platform, which off ers an in-depth sixweek course called “Making Sense of the News: News Literacy Lessons for Digital Citizens,” which she can access at Coursera.org/learn/newsliteracy. There are also many good websites, like PolitiFact.com, Snopes.com and FactCheck. org that will let your mom fact check a story to help her identify fact versus fiction. These sites have most likely already fact-checked the latest viral claim to pop up in her news feed. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. 2 Bed, 2 Bath Luxury Condominium, Nicely Renovated w/ Panoramic Ocean Views Situated Directly on Revere Beach, Open Kitchen, Stainless Steel Appliances, Walnut Cabinets, Bamboo Floors, Garage Parking, Indoor Pool, Steps to Beach, Turn Key Realty LLC, 350 Revere Beach Blvd., Unit 3-3A Revere, MA 02151 / Principal Broker Ken Celano Call: 781-264-3992 / Email: kcelano@turnkeyboston.com CRABTREE | FROM PAGE 1 sources Assistant for the New England College of Optometry in Boston. “The Human Resources Department assists Town offi cials to create and administer policies and practices that attract, develop and sustain a motivated, diverse and high performing municipal workforce and work environment,” according to Crabtree’s statement. “The Department administers the Personnel Bylaw, maintains compensation and benefi ts plans; coordinates recruitment, orientation, professional development and employee recognition activities. The Department strives to ensure that everyone is afforded equal protection under the law.” Wyman holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources Management from Fitchburg State University (2019-20). He received a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources Management from Salem State University in 2013. He also earned an Associate’s Degree in Business Management from Bunker Hill Community College (2009-11). “After spending 12 years in the United States Military, I chose to rebrand myself, so I enrolled in college. In 2013, I became the fi rst in my family to graduate from college,” Wyman said in a statement posted on the LinkedIn website. “So why did I choose Human Resources? I wanted to be on the front lines of hiring great talents of the 21st century. If you are not fi rst, you are last. You become fi rst by hiring the best and brightest right out of the gate,” he said. “I have over seven years’ experience in Human Resources, but every life experience to FOR RENT!! 350 Revere Beach Blvd., Unit 3-3X, Revere Beach The St. George Condominiums & Beach Club date has brought me to who I am now. I have overseen the many distinct functions of Human Resources over these last six years.” The Town of Saugus has had diffi culty keeping good employees in many key administrative positions in recent years. Crabtree and selectmen have noted in meetings that area communities were able hire away good personnel because they off ered much better pay, which the town couldn’t keep pace with. In his LinkedIn statement, Wyman noted, “I understand what it takes to recruit and keep the new generation of talent coming into the workforce.” Gabriela Lagattolla has been working as human resources director in an acting capacity, according to Crabtree. He said that Kelley Ferretti had previously held the position until the spring of last year. Frustrated Daughter Saugonian awarded Coast Guard Foundation scholarship A bigail Brown, daughter of Chief Petty Offi cer Samuel Brown, of Saugus, was awarded a USCG Foundation Sobel Scholarship and is currently attending the University of Vermont. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to strengthening the USCG community and service by supporting members and families, recently announced that it awarded 167 scholarships this year, totaling $503,000. Since the program began in 1990, the USCG Foundation has awarded more than $6 million in scholarships to USCG children, ensuring they can aff ord to reach their higher education dreams. The USCG Foundation Scholarships benefi t the children of enlisted men and women who are serving or have served in the USCG, whether active duty, reserve, retired or deceased. “We are honored to provide support to Coast Guard youth who are pursuing their higher education goals,” said USCG Foundation President Susan Ludwig. “Our support is only possible because of generous investments from individuals, families and foundations all across the country. When Coast Guard kids receive a Coast Guard Foundation scholarship, they incur less debt, and deepen their engagement with their communities by volunteering, working and interning in their chosen fi elds of study.”
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