While science and technology have made life easier, they have also created new challenges for seniors. These days, seniors can stay connected to friends and family through their cell phones, endlessly scrolling through pictures and posting their own. But there are several other ways that people can stay connected without breaking the bank or getting addicted to social media.
1. Google Is Your Friend
When you’re just getting started with the internet, you should search for “how to use [insert name of the device here].” Google will show you valuable videos, articles, and tutorials that explain how to use your device from start to finish.
2. Begin With Email
Email is one of the easiest ways to connect with friends and family members on any device — whether you’re using an iPhone or a PC laptop. If you’re not sure where to start, try signing up for an email account through Gmail or Yahoo Mail (or whichever service is available in your area). It’s free, and you’ll be able to send emails back and forth in minutes!
3. Connecting Through Smartphones and Tablets
Seniors often use smartphones and tablets to stay in touch with friends and family members. They can also be used to communicate with doctors, pharmacists, and other professionals who might be able to help with medical conditions or general well-being issues. In addition, smartphones can be used as medical alert devices that can call for assistance in an emergency or accident.
4. Change Your Phone Settings For Easy Reading
Change Your Phone Settings For Easy Reading
If you’re having trouble reading text on your smartphone, you can do a few things to make it easier to read. You can change the font size, increase the contrast and make other adjustments in Settings.
Use A Magnifier App
If you have an iPhone or iPad, several apps can automatically magnify small text on your phone’s screen when you press a button or gesture. You can also use these apps to view objects up close and even scan documents. Some of these apps are free, but others cost money.
Get A New Phone (Or Update It)
Suppose none of these simple solutions work for you. In that case, it may be time to get a new phone — or at least update your current one with a new operating system that offers more accessibility options than older OS versions do.
5. Add Friends and Family Contacts
Your smartphone will be an essential tool for staying in touch with your loved ones. Adding friends and family as contacts is a great way to stay connected. You can even set up alerts so they’ll get notified when you post on social media or send a message.
6. Use a Captioned Telephone If Hard of Hearing
Many older adults have difficulty hearing on the phone, making it difficult to understand what’s being said. The good news is there are now captioned telephones, which are phones that have text displayed across a screen so that seniors can read what’s being said instead of attempting to hear it over the phone line.
7. Be Careful Clicking On a Link or Attachment
Many phishing scams target seniors because they’re usually more trusting than younger people. Be careful when clicking on links in emails from unknown sources — don’t click on attachments either unless you know who sent them!
8. Avoid Over-Sharing
It’s easy to share too much information on social media, but that can lead to some awkward situations for seniors. Avoid over-sharing by limiting the amount of personal information you post online, including birthdays and anniversaries. You may also want to consider blocking certain people from seeing your profile or changing your privacy settings so that only close friends can see what you’re up to online.
Advances in technology have made it more possible than ever for seniors to reap the benefits of the internet without being overwhelmed. For those curious and willing to get the hang of things, there is a wealth of information on the internet that could significantly improve their quality of life.
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