I was so impressed with a story I read on CNN yesterday. Ivy Bean is 104 years old and is using Twitter to keep in touch with people on her computer. And from a nursing home no less. She has 27,000 followers and lets them know all about her daily life. She’s also active on Facebook, but prefers Twitter. And now, even the press is interviewing her. All because of the computer. No wonder I’m so adamant about how that machine can enrich the lives of older people.

I’m giving a presentation to the seniors at the local community center next week to encourage them to join the computer club that I run. Usually I get at least one person asking “why should I bother with computers at my age?”

I intend to print off this article and show everyone that our brains are every bit as able now as when we were younger. Go ahead and read the article for a good dose of inspiration.

O, and I want to eventually live somewhere like Hillside Manor. They are doing everything they can to keep the residents healthy and happy. Good for them.

Technorati Tags: older Twitter user, using social media

It never ceases to amaze me how much a computer can enlarge our lives. Especially if our circumstances limit interaction with other people and with the world around us.

I’ve been reading about something called the Sue Center that provides an environment for those who can’t use a keyboard or mouse to interact with a computer.

Even when severly limited by MS and unable to move from the neck down, disabled people can now control some aspects of their environment. Using specialized free software paired with a device that allows the computer to read head movements,  it’s possible to:

• Keep a journal.
• Read books.
• Consult a dictionary and thesaurus.
• Correspond by email.
• Send text messages.
• Create and view slideshows of pictures.
• Access selected websites.
• Play games.
• Choose music or radio and adjust the volume.
• Control a TV or DVD like a universal remote.
• Keep a calendar of events.
• Read the Bible on the computer.
• Make telephone calls using  Skype.
• Keep in touch with loved ones and feel less isolated.

I encourage you to check out their website at the Sue Center. Besides being impressed with the capabilities of the program and the compassion of it’s creator, I was reminded how thankful I need to be for those little things (like movement) that I take for granted.

Technorati Tags: Sue Center, computer use for the disabled

According to the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in their April 2009 issue, using a computer can increase your brain power. The results of a study on a number of computer using adults 65 and older found that scores on memory and attention tests compared to adults ten years their junior.

Other benefits were increased hand-eye coordination, distraction from aches and pains, and sharpened focus. Lots of reasons to use your computer (or to encourage your parent or grandparent to).

Go online and you’ll find that many seniors, ranging from 70 to 93 years old, are writing  regularly on a wide range of topics from politics, to local  events, to  gardening and nature.

I see the positive  effects that computer skills have on the  lives of seniors every  day. My 84-year-old mother wanders around the house looking  for a sunny spot to settle down with her laptop. Then she works  on creating her newest ebook, or signs up as an affiliate for a  product  she wants to promote on one of her blogs.

Writing  a blog keeps  minds active, introduces new friends  from around the globe, and  gives seniors a renewed interest  in life.

I wonder if a study should be done to see if  computer-using  seniors live longer? They seem to need extra years to finish  all the  things they want to do!

Technorati Tags: seniors and computer use, increased brain power, blogs

I started a new computer club at the community center here in town. When we lived in Toronto, I ran one that became very popular with the over 50 crowd. And we didn’t even have computers there. We just discussed our problems and gathered around a laptop I brought in (no Internet).

Anyway, the new club is off to a slow start, but that’s normal until the word gets around. We have six computers and people can drop in and work on whatever they like. For instance, some of the people are taking evening computer classes once a week, but they want to practice what was taught. I’m there to help if needed and I usually bring in any new gadgets or computer books I find. Plus the week’s computer ads, which we discuss.

This week, one of the members started a document in Word and then pressed the email icon to see what it would do. I’ve never done my emails in Word and was pleased to see how this worked. Right away, the email toolbars appeared above the post. We were then able to add a photo and a fancy cursive signature. We even added a little audio file. Through teamwork, we all learned a little and enjoyed the time.

Another person wanted to create a table in Word. Easily done, but I wasn’t sure if it we could sort the contents of the table, since I’d never done it there. But the table function sorted easily, both for alphabetic and numeric data. Nice and easy to use if you don’t really need a full database program.

Bottom line: working together, we all learned a lot, had a good time, and look forward to next week.

Technorati Tags: computer club, Word, tables, email

EBay continues to be something that a lot of people would like to learn and I will be conducting a number of workshops in the coming weeks. These will take place on Saturdays from 10 in the morning until three in the afternoon.

Last year at this time I was doing eBay workshops and having a hard time filling them. But since then, one of my students made a couple of thousand dollars on eBay, and there was an
article written up in my local paper. As a result, I have four workshops to present, all filled to capacity. It’s amazing what the power of social proof can do.

If you’re in the Toronto area, you’re welcome to send me an e-mail and I can give you the information if you’re interested in attending.

Technorati Tags: eBay, eBay workshops, Toronto, making money with eBay