WASHINGTON, DC, July 9 — Before the pandemic seniors were gradually becoming Internet users; during the extended COVID lockdown use of computer technology among older Americans has been accelerating at a faster pace, says Rebecca Weber, CEO of the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC]. “This is good news given the fact that more older citizens are now able to take advantage of benefits they were missing including, but not limited to, online help sites and an array of consumer discounts.”
Weber points out that Amac.us, the association’s Website, is chock-full of information of use for its 50-plus membership offering an array of discount purchasing opportunities ranging from pharmaceuticals to travel services and insurance services.
There are sites that offer social engagement for seniors, allowing us to chat with each other and to attend virtual forums on a variety of topics. Seniors Only Club, for example, allows you to access specialty forums on a wide variety of topics. Signing up is free.
Meanwhile, you don’t have to be a patient to visit the Mayo Clinic Website where you can have “access to the knowledge and experience of Mayo Clinic.” The Suddenly Senior site also offers health and wellness information as well as senior trivia and senior jokes pages, just for a laugh.
At recipe Websites, such as the allrecipes site, you can look up ways of freely creating your own culinary masterpieces. And the Duolingo offers free language learning sessions, claiming that you’ll “learn a new language in five minutes a day.
The world became a lonely place for many seniors during the self-isolation days of the COVID pandemic and specialty Websites, such as that of the Institute on Aging, offered a modicum of relief. And if you are a senior citizen who is looking for activities you might enjoy, there is the Vive Health site, which boasts that it offers “110 Activities for Elderly & Seniors.”
If you’re in the mood for a road trip, long or short, perhaps you can get some help at Websites such as Roadtrippers or Outdoors.org.
Here some additional sites you might want to explore:
–https://elder-one-stop.com/ focuses on health and well being
–https://www.seniorchatz.com/ is a free chat room that lets you schmooze with new pals and old
–ageinplacetech.com offers news and information for seniors
And, of course, if you feel your computer skills are lacking in some way, you might want to visit the seniorsguidetocomputers.com, which boasts it offers “the ins and outs of personal computers using simplified terms, examples, pictures and videos actually described in easy-to-understand English.” In other words, you won’t have to deal with “Geek Speak.”
