OMG! Seniors get tech-savvy
Want to keep in touch with grandma?
Think Facebook and Twitter.
Social media took off as the turf of the young and tech-savvy, but legions of senior citizens are now using such sites to connect with family, friends and acquaintances, Statistics Canada reports.
In its first measure of social media use by Canadians, the number-crunching agency found that for people age 65 and above who use the Internet, fully 36% use social networking sites.
While thats just a fraction of the 96% of 15- to 24-year-olds online who access social media sites, its a number thats certain to grow, said Carmi Levy, a London-based tech analyst and writer with voices.com.
In many respects, its a purely practical process, he said.
If grandma doesnt start using Instagram, shell have no way to share pics with the grandkids, and no way of communicating with them in a meaningful way.
Amy Walsh doesnt need to be told about the older generation crossing the digital divide.
Recreation director at the Windermere On The Mount retirement residence in London, Walsh said shes seen a steady increase in the use of technology and social media sites by residents over the four and a half years shes worked there.
Thirty to 40% of the people that come in are already using social media, she said. They have their iPads, their laptops.
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OMG! Seniors get tech-savvy