Nov 25 2008
Senior Citizens and the Internet
Senior Citizens and the Internet have become inseparable.
My seven-year-old granddaughter sends me “comments” on MySpace. My twelve-year-old granddaughter sends me e-mail on Yahoo. All three of us play online computer games when they visit. I have even discovered a couple of kid-friendly sites that they didn’t know about.
Computers became “user friendly” many years ago, and opened up an entire new world of discovery for many of us. In the past 15 years, the internet has become available to millions. And in the past five years, (or so), senior citizens (of all ages) have joined the mainstream of the cyberWORLD, by the thousands! With familiarity comes confidence, and seniors are exploring the iPod, the MP3, the DVD, Blue-ray, digital cameras and High Definition television. Ever notice how COMMON the cell phone has become for seniors as well as youth? Yes, we are back in the Mainstream!
Retirement homes, Senior Citizen Centers, and Public Libraries are all buzzing with internet users. I know folks, including my own mother, who are in their 80’s who have totally embraced the computer and internet technology. (She loves “greeting card software” and prints out her own designs for all the holidays. A digital camera has greatly increased her ability to capture moments at very little expense.)
Online, there are THOUSANDS of sites that cater to seniors. (Be careful though, not all have our interests at heart.)
Social sites like EONS have provided seniors with connections to others who share the same interests and concerns. On-line, AARP is much more accessible to members and non-members alike. There are forums for virtually every conceivable interest group. There are online libraries like the Library of Congress, research resources for writers, dictionaries and encyclopedias. And then there is BLOGGING! Yes, by the thousands, world-wide, the “mature” generation, and the “boomer” generation have joined the blogging world.
Seniors have discovered E-mail, SHOPPING online, and BANKING online, all of which can greatly enhance the quality of life, particularly for those who are bedridden, confined to home, or have limited mobility.
I can recall, not many years ago, when older folks would “pooh-pooh” the computer age, and say that there was nothing of interest there for them. Times have changed. Indeed. We have found a way to EXTEND our reach and stay connected.
That is something we need and value more highly as we get older–staying connected.
It is great that the Internet has been helping people of all ages. I’m glad that you and your granddaughters can use the Internet together. I know a lot of times browsing the net becomes something that you do alone.
Love this post. I only wish I still had grandparents around to be able to share this with. I will definitely come back to read more of these.
Wow! I think these Comments so far do Validate what I said in this post. Thank You!