According to Pew Internet & American Life Project, half of adults over 65 are online and Internet savvy. From April, 2009, to May, 2011, social networking site use among those over 65 grew 150%! That is huge!
Today’s senior citizens are far more computer-savvy than previous generations. We work longer, exercise more, are more vital in general, and want to keep our brains active. And many of us have latched onto social media with a vengeance.
Several years ago, I decided to get on the Facebook bandwagon, because I wanted to stay in touch with family. What I found was that Facebook allowed me to follow the activities of my grandchildren in ways that would not otherwise have been available to me, because we live so far from most of them.
Today, many seniors are using social media to connect with friends and family. Grace Snyder of Sarasota uses her IPad to connect to Facebook and email family and friends. Florida writer Charmaine Englesman-Robins connects with her Smart phone. Some seniors enjoy posting their daily activities. Some just cruise the timelines of others.
A number of my friends “tweet.” Twitter appeals to those who like to send short messages without a lot of conversation and discussion involved.
Whatever the method used, the ability to stay close to friends and loved ones is what matters. Our children and grandchildren are busy and it is difficult to keep up with them. Social media makes that possible without interfering in their lives.
If it weren’t for Facebook, I would miss so many milestones in my grandkids’ lives. Viewing the photo of a granddaughter’s first day at kindergarten posted by her Mom was so special! Another granddaughter is studying Music Business in college and wants to be a singer/songwriter. Because she posts videos of her music on Facebook, we are able to keep up with and encourage her progress.
Social media offers a connection to community activities and organizations. There are plenty of online causes to join, if you wish. You can receive up-to-date information about what’s going on where you live. I have even made several new friends in our area, thanks to Facebook. My co-author of this website, Maggie Digiovanni, was living in Pennsylvania when we first connected on Facebook. She moved to Florida and is now in Alabama. Thanks to the wonders of technology, she and I can remain friends and business associates.
There are numerous social media sites that might be of interest to senior citizens. A few of them are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Genkvetch.com, Genkvetch caught my eye because it bills itself as a site for “social networking for those who recall rotary phones and 45 rpm records…” That certainly includes me! LinkedIn is great for business connections. But Facebook is huge with so many members and pages and groups that you could never grow bored, if you choose to make use of all of it.
If you aren’t already using social media, check out some of the suggestions here and maybe even find a few more of your own. Feel free to share them in the comments section. Consider taking a class to become more comfortable about using such online sites. They are offered by many public libraries, community centers, or senior centers. A class might even make you feel more comfortable about online security.
