Help Your Elderly Loved One Benefit from the Internet
May 5, 2020
The internet can be a scary place for many elderly adults. They may not be familiar with the technology or how certain internet programs work. However, the internet can be a beneficial place for your elderly loved one. It is just a matter of teaching them the basics, so they can benefit from using the internet. If there are caregivers at your elderly loved one’s home, they may be able to help your elderly loved one learn more about using the internet to their benefit.
Get Different Devices
One of the best ways for your elderly loved one to get used to using the internet is by getting them different devices. Maybe they currently have a desktop computer. However, they may actually do better on a tablet or laptop, after they get used to using one of these. You can easily purchase a device online and have it sent to your elderly loved one’s home.
Cyber Security is Important
Your elderly loved one can use social media to communicate better with their loved ones and friends. However, many elderly adults do get hacked on social media. In addition, many elderly adults will fall for email scams. These are some of the main reasons why it is so important for your elderly loved one to know about cybersecurity. Remind your elderly loved one to ignore emails or messages from people they don’t know. If they get a friend request on Facebook from someone they are already friends with, tell them to decline it. There are many other cybersecurity resources you can find to help keep your elderly loved one safe online.
Using Facebook
As just mentioned, social media is a great place for elderly adults to keep in touch with their family members and friends. Facebook is one of the most popular options for this type of communication. With Facebook, your elderly loved one can video chat with you, other family members, and their friends. This can help them to feel less lonely and more connected with everyone.
Using Email
If your elderly loved one has friends who aren’t on Facebook, you should encourage them to send their friends some emails. This is just one more way that they can stay connected with people in their life. In addition, this gives them a way to share photographs without having to display them on a public social media platform.
These are some of the many ways that your elderly loved one can benefit from using the internet. It may take some time to teach them how to use it properly, but once they know how to do that, they can reap many benefits from it.
If you or your loved one is looking for a Caregiver in Atherton, CA, please call Familiar Surroundings Home Care.
Santa Clara County: (408) 979-9990
San Mateo County: (650) 353-9777
Santa Cruz County: (831) 480-3990
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5312603/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3668603/