Specialist in Issues of Midlife & Older Adults

oldest old

Are We Giving Up on our Oldest Adults Benefiting from the Internet?

The Digital Have-Not’s – Our Oldest Adults – Closing the Gap

 

(Click on the link above to read a good summary of this issue written by blogger Laurie Orlov.)

 

Are we as a society just giving up on the 75+ age group as far as encouraging and teaching them about the valuable information, tools, and community they can find online?

 

People point out there is scarce funding to reach these people – they are the digital have-not’s. I think they are the digital “would be’s” if there were helpers to teach them about the benefits (connection with friends and family, health information, interesting stories, etc.) of online and to teach them how.

 

Locally-focused online communities focused on aging, grassroots reviews leading to accountability of service and product providers, social connection, information-sharing… this has to be one answer. Again, with some help to teach how.