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Cyber Seniors are Blogging Up a Storm
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Let’s face it, readers—the Web isn’t just for kids and to think so would be, well, antiquated. My own mother has realized there’s nothing quite as satisfying as coming home to a full inbox. Within the past five years, the number of web surfing seniors has jumped to more than 50%. At least 25% of people 65 and older are wired. This “silver tsunami” is attracted to the communication and informational aspects of the internet. Whether emailing friends and loved ones, doing online banking or searching for the best new set of golf clubs to be found, seniors are currently hanging ten with the younger surfers.
Enter Mildred Garfield--or to those in the know, Thoroughly Modern Millie --who at 81 is touted as one of the oldest bloggers online. At the suggestion of her son, Steve, Millie began her online diary more than 3 years ago and explains, “It makes my life so much more interesting. I wanted to connect to other people.” Millie’s blog features stories, recipes, favorite books and, of course, nuggets of wisdom. Number 3 on Millie’s top 10 list on staying young: "Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. The devil’s name is Alzheimer’s."
She expounds on the difficulties of opening jars of Nescafe, Tylenol bottles and nail polish in hilarious videos shot by her son. At a recent presentation to residents of an assisted living facility, Millie spoke about how important blogging can be for older people who have lost friends and family or who find getting out and about more difficult and do so less frequently. Writing is also something that a senior can do in a long-term care facility, so long as he or she has access to the Internet. I tend to agree with Millie, and think seniors who blog can reap the benefits of an interactive experience, feeling more closely connected to the outside world and those around them. Then there’s Millie’s main reason for blogging, “I enjoy it. I’m not interrupted and can complete my thought.” Something, dear readers, that we can all relate to.
Posted in: General, Senior Care News, Senior Trends
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I think this is so great. Before my grandmother passed, we set up a computer at her house, where we had dinner once a week. When we came over to dinner, she would have one of us check her email and read it to her even though all of the messages were from us, and were a week old! It was a novelty to her, but I’m glad to hear seniors are using the web to stay active and “tuned in” on their own.
When my Mom first got set up on email a few years ago, my brothers and I used to send her quick notes. She’d get so excited that she’d pick up the phone and call us to let us know she’d gotten the emails! These days, she gets so much email that she has about five different accounts.
[…] The visit began with the eager look on Grandpa’s face as he awaited my arrival in the facility lobby. He proudly ushered me upstairs—having mischievously pushed the elevator buttons with his cane to the disapproval of a female resident who deemed the action “unsanitary”—to my $50 per night guest quarters. We soon dined on cinnamon rolls, forgoing first courses of oatmeal and eggs, in the facility’s impressive dining room. (The residents at Creekside Oaks know what’s good on the menu and when to remain at the mercy of their own kitchenettes.) Unlike many facilities we review, the dining room was quite silent, absent of any mealtime music, which would have been a nice touch. Grandpa showed me the facility’s library, activity room and computer area. After spending a futile hour trying to make Grandpa a cyber senior, we observed an activity whereby several competitive female residents bounced a beach ball around a circle resulting in a high-energy rally. Not down his alley, we left the activity to meet one of Grandpa’s neighbors, Betty. A recent widow herself, Betty was clearly happy to have company and even happier to introduce me to her new companion, a year-old poodle named Peter. Betty reiterated what people in her situation often feel: though there is no substitute for living in one’s own home, it sure is nice to have company and a safe place to reside. […]
It seems like seniors are also getting into social networking! For example, Senior City is a site solely for seniors, to enable folks to meet without being bugged by teens like on myspace and facebook!