How to achieve technological literacy as an older adult
According to a study in 2007, the amount of new technology that enters the market has been increasing and will most likely continue to increase. With these increases, it can be difficult for older adults and seniors to keep up with the most popular tech—especially during Covid-19, when practically everything occurs in a virtual environment. Here are a few resources to help you become more technologically literate and reap the benefits of some truly amazing technology.
Zoom
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Zoom and similar applications have become a staple of daily life. Whether you need to learn about Zoom because your workplace relies on it, or just so you can still spend time with your grandchildren, there are plenty of places to learn about all the ins and outs of Zoom.
The best resource is directly from the Zoom website, where they have videos on essentially all the features on Zoom. If you prefer a more “hands-on” approach, they also offer live training courses so you can interact with someone and ask questions if needed.
There are also two other popular applications similar to Zoom: Google Meet and Microsoft Teams. Google Meet is a bit like Zoom, albeit less professionally focused, while Microsoft Teams is arguably as much or more so. Here are links to learning more about those:
Social Media
While it does have its pitfalls, engaging in social media is not without some really great benefits.
Most social sciences agree that social connectedness is one of the most - if not THE most - important aspect of health, physical as well as emotional. As we age, it can be harder to maintain relationships we had in the past or forge new relationships without feeling overworked. Social media can remedy both those issues through connecting you with old friends while giving you a platform to meet new people with common interests.
Social media sites vary in the kind of features they have; here is a list of some popular ones, along with links to pages where you can learn more about how to navigate and use them.
Facebook. This is a very popular site because it has been around for so long, but also because it has great features for meeting new people. There are Facebook groups for everything under the sun, and there are many that are dedicated to older adults. Some can be for people local to one area so that in-person meetings can happen, and some are groups of thousands of people that use Facebook to exchange ideas and news (for example, there is a Facebook group for Oprah’s Book Club where thousands of people can discuss books). Facebook is also great for seeing what old friends are up to as they post different pictures or updates on their lives.
Nextdoor: Nextdoor is like a hyper-local version of Facebook. Coordinated to your geography, it allows users to “e-meet” their nearest neighbors in a public online forum. You can start conversations about local issues, organize meetups, or just let out the occasional rant about fireworks. Nextdoor has had important safety applications, as well, alerting you to developing crime or public safety situations. Nextdoor does require location verification—usually they send a postcard through snail mail that you then use to verify your account—but after that, the interface is pretty intuitive and could be a great opportunity to meet your neighbors virtually.
Instagram. Instagram is a great social media platform, a little different from Facebook in that instead of being able to talk with a lot of people at the same time in groups, Instagram really only allows people to engage one-on-one. This can make connections more personal and means there is less information and chaos to sift through. Instagram allows people and organizations to post pictures and information on their profile, so their friends can stay updated. If you prefer connecting with people one-on-one, Instagram might be a good fit for you.