Savvy Seniors Get Wired
Older Canadians are speeding onto the information highway
By Robin Roberts
My father–in–law, who turned 84 this year, is so enamored with his PC that his wife has to pop her head into his den periodically to ensure he’s still breathing. And he’s not alone. A recent Statistics Canada study revealed that internet use among older Canadians quadrupled for the period between 2000 and 2007. To keep up with that zeal, most libraries, community colleges, public schools, Community Access Programs, seniors’ groups and churches offer elementary computer courses, some specifically with seniors in mind.
Home to the highest population of seniors in the country, Nova Scotia offers a variety of programs and services geared to their interests, including computer instruction. “In 2012–2013, 2,281 [mostly seniors] attended computer classes across the system of 14 branches,” says Kelli Wooshue, Manager, Emerging Technologies for Halifax Public Libraries.
So what are they all doing in front of their screens? Like my father–in–law, they’re reading newspapers and magazines, playing games, blogging, researching health and retirement issues, booking travel, checking out job opportunities at LinkedIn, keeping up with the kids on Facebook, and participating in online discussions. Here are some of the more popular sites:
Canada 55 Plus Games
From bridge to ice hockey, this site encourages participation in physical and mental challenges, but is also an advocacy group and social network to help seniors stay connected.
Seniors.gc
http://www.seniors.gc.ca/eng/index.shtml
This government of Canada site features information on everything from staying healthy and connected to awareness of elder abuse to funding for your own pilot projects.
CARP
The Canadian Association for Retired Persons is a non-profit membership organization that advocates for aging Canadians, leading social change, offering benefits, products and services to enhance seniors’ quality of life.
Canadian Senior Years
This jam-packed site features seniors-related news and information, jokes and talent pages, dating listings and email pals, classifieds and recipes, as well as discussion groups and information trading.
The Motley Fool
Sift through and contribute to topics on hobbies and interests, health and fitness, food and drink, finance and family, and tons more.
Elder Treks
http://www.eldertreks.com/index.php
The world’s first adventure travel company exclusively for the 50–plus crowd, offering off–the–beaten path, small–group tours to over 100 countries.
MSN Games
http://zone.msn.com/en-us/home
Get your game on here, and play anything and everything from Bridge to Mah Jong to Solitaire, many of them free.
Robin Roberts 