5 Ways Access To The Internet Can Benefit The Elderly
The World Wide Web can be daunting to older relatives, but evidence suggests that the numbers of older people using online facilities is increasing.
Access to the internet offers a range of benefits to elderly relatives and the ability to browse can become a healthy emotional outlet for many.
Take a look at five ways the internet can benefit the elderly.
1. Communication
While no technology can replace in-person interaction, the internet offers elderly people the opportunity to communicate online.
For home-bound people, the internet can improve connections with the outside world, helping them to gain a level of independence and avoid feelings of social isolation.
Skype, video chat and other internet-based communication channels such as email allow anyone to reconnect with friends and family that they perhaps haven’t seen or talked to for years.
2. Educational or Personal Enrichment
The internet opens up many e-learning opportunities to senior people. Online courses or adult education classes have the potential to empower elderly people and keep their brains active.
Strategy puzzles or online games have also been shown to improve memory, expand attention and increase cognitive longevity. Elderly people can keep their minds agile using the internet, and in turn also increase their confidence using new technology.
3. Social Media
The internet provides the perfect platform for older people to socialise and take part in communities and forums. Social media makes it easy for “silver surfers” to link up and keep up-to-date with what is going on with their loved ones.
With so many photos posted on Facebook, Twitter or Flickr, older people have the opportunity to share in those memories too, and it provides a lifeline for those who can’t leave their home or live far away.
4. Entertainment
The internet has had a profound impact on entertainment with more and more people now going online to watch TV, stream films and listening to music.
From iPlayer to Netflix, there is something out there to suit everyone’s taste and older people can easily discover new programs they want to watch.
Popular website such as YouTube and Spotify allow elderly people to bring back memories from days of old and reunite them with songs or comedy clips from their youth.
5. Family Peace of Mind
For an elderly person’s family, knowing that their loved one has access to the internet can give them peace-of-mind.
Families have the ability to check-in on their elderly relative, whether it is a simple Facebook message or via email.
