Why The Internet Is A Great Place For The Elderly

Although I would never call my mum elderly (I would get a black eye if I did) she is from a generation which didn’t have the internet. A few years ago we bought her a netbook for Christmas and, although she still struggles sometimes with technology, she has never looked back! We Skype several times a week and she loves facebook.

Today I have a post from the lovely Sam Renton about the benefits of the internet for elderly people. Again, I don’t mean you when I say that mum!

Why The Internet Is A Great Place For The Elderly

Many might consider computers and the internet to be a young person’s game, but that’s really not true. The internet can be an invaluable source for elderly people, too, although they might need a little bit of a helping hand to actually get set up in the first place.

Here’s how getting online and surfing the web can benefit the elderly:

Combating loneliness

Loneliness is a huge problem amongst the elderly, especially if their partner has sadly passed on, but the internet can be a fantastic place to meet and converse with people and even make friends. You can speak to likeminded people but also people you never thought of speaking to, which can be a really eye-opening experience. There are numerous websites where you can meet friends online, although you do need to be diligent about who you talk to.

Keeping in touch with family and friends

Another way of combating loneliness is keeping in touch with family and friends. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are great for keeping touch and seeing what they’re up to, whilst you can use Skype or FaceTime to talk with loved ones and even see them, which is perfect if they live a little further away.

Learning new skills

Keeping the brain active is incredibly important for older people and learning new skills is a great way of doing so. The basics are pretty easy but you can go as in-depth as you like. Family members should be able to help out, but even if you’re in a retirement home, they often run IT classes to help their residents learn about computers and the internet.

Shopping

One thing that quickly becomes a hassle if you’re older and struggling to walk very far is shopping, but the internet can make that much easier. You can get pretty much anything you want online from furniture and clothes to food and various entertainment products. You can get them delivered to your door, meaning you don’t have to go anywhere to get them.

Empowerment

One of the best things about internet for the elderly is that it lets them keep a sense of empowerment, still allowing them to do things for themselves, whereas otherwise they might be relying on others to help out. Shopping is a great example of this as we just mentioned.

So many resources are available online

The amount of information on the internet is incalculably large and there’s plenty there that will be of interest to older people. They can keep up to date with the news and current affairs, as well as other activities such as learning about pretty much whatever they want and even tracing their family history.

If you want more information about computers and the internet for the elderly, then Age UK has some great resources.