By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-12-07 11:49:07 | Word Count: 664
The Internet is a fantastic resource for those who have web access and know how to use a computer. Research, social networking, games, television shows, movies, music, history, every book ever printed…it’s all available on the World Wide Web. Not to mention the computer itself. It can be used for word processing, to produce high-quality photo albums, to play games, listen to CDs, play DVDs, make presentations with animation and Flash elements, and keep databases of information on anything from baseball stats to family trees.
Unfortunately, a lot of the elderly missed the technology curve when it comes to computers and the web, and what they’re missing out on is incredible. Not knowing how to send an email to your grandkids alone is almost tragic. There is PC help available for seniors, in more places than you might imagine. For one thing, a simple trip to the library will allow to seniors to get help with the Internet, to do research and find classes and instruction on how to use PCs, Macs, and the Internet. Librarians can help you get online initially, and run searches on classes in your area, or can direct you to paper resources with senior centers that have instructors for PC help, including the Yellow Pages and printed-out online bulletin board offers.
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You can also visit your local senior center directly and look at the bulletin board, or talk to the director for a listing of classes to find exactly what you might need. There are different levels of instruction available, because not every senior is starting at step one. If you already have the skills necessary to turn on your computer and find the Internet, you’re probably ahead of the game. Finding out how to run comprehensive searches and get into online forums and join social networking sites is a little more complicated however, and that might be the level for you.
There are however, classes that will teach you everything from what each piece of hardware is and (basically) how it works, including turning on the machine, how a mouse works, how to click on pertinent pieces of a web page, and how to enter your email address and password to get email. Every level of competency is represented in PC help for seniors, and the classes are generally run by people who understand that the elderly have different learning abilities than younger people do, based simply on age and the fact that some things just don’t work as well as they used to.
For instance, some seniors may require larger print on computer screens as their eyesight deteriorates, and need to have an instructor who speaks loudly and slowly enough to be clearly understood by a senior audience. These instructors appreciate however, that older students are smarter, more motivated and are genuinely interested enough in the subject matter to pay attention to the instructions and the instructor, and do their homework, very different than their younger counterparts.
PC help for seniors is readily available in most communities, so take that first step into the digital age today!
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