Wired Seniors Surf 'Net
Dec. 24, 2006 — -- The Internet is bringing the whole world together, but there is one group that has been left out -- seniors. People born long before the computer was even conceived are less likely to be part of our hyper-connected world.
But that is changing. A recent study found people over 65 make up the fastest growing segment of Internet users, outpacing even their wired grandchildren.
In the United States, an estimated 10 million seniors are currently on line and that number is expected to double by 2010.
Bea Lewis, 89, is an old pro at surfing the Internet.
"One day my son said, 'Mom, you … always said you have to learn something new every day, now get with it,'" she said.
There are thousands of so-called cyber-grandparents at retirement centers around the country like Asbury Methodist Village in Gaithersburg, Md., where Lewis lives. They use the Internet to stay informed, to pay the bills and most importantly to connect with family.
Hardware is being adapted to the needs of the elderly. Keyboards at the retirement center are bright with large letters, and the cursors magnify the screen.
A stroke made speaking difficult for 81-year-old Dave Moore, but he has no difficulty communicating through his PC.
"I use e-mail constantly with my kids and my friends to find out what's going on," he said.
But it's not just family and friends who want to hear from these elderly Web surfers. It turns out there's a whole new generation that's hungry for their wisdom.
About a dozen seniors at Asbury Methodist make up one chapter of a national group called "the elder wisdom circle." Through its Web site www.elderwisdomcircle.org, members dole out online advice.
At one session, the members discussed how to respond to a woman whose fiance had cheated on her.
"Dump him because he's bad news," and, "Have it out with him put him on the spot," were a few of the ideas tossed around the table.
The group has answered 60,000 questions about love, finances and life's little challenges.
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