3 Social Media Tips for Seniors
It’s the year 2020 and anyone can tell you how much of an impact social media has made to our society. Every day more seniors are being introduced to social media. While some might find social media impersonal, it actually brings people together more than ever and is a convenient way to communicate with families and friends who live far away from each other. Throughout the years, there has been an increase in social media among all users, even seniors aged 75 and older. Since 2017, the number of seniors online has increased by 35% according to the Pew Research Center. 24/7 Nursing Care wants to make social media easier by providing you with three social media tips for seniors.
3 Social Media Tips for Seniors
If you’re a beginner at using social media, we understand it might seem challenging or scary at first. However, there are benefits to being on social media that can change your outlook.
Here are the most popular benefits of joining social media:
- It’s an easy way to connect with family and friends. – If you or a loved one are far away from friends or family and it is a hassle to visit often, social media is a great way to keep you connected with them. Between the conveniences of chatting online, sharing pictures, and even video chatting, social media allows to keep up with your loved one’s life. You may even want to consider making a group on a site like Facebook just to share information with your loved ones.
- Make new friendships. – Social media is an easy way to build new friendships or even relationships if you’re careful. A study shown in this Time article claims that 46% of adults ages 45 and older are lonely. Social media is a great way to combat loneliness with online chat groups, social groups on Facebook, connecting with friends of friends online, or even dating sites. Of course, when building these connections, we ask that you use caution when meeting online friends in person.
- Social media is a prime resource for entertainment and education. – If you’ve always wanted to watch a specific movie or learn a new skill, now you can. Social media makes it easier to have access to over a million videos and other forms of entertainment. The most common social media sites used by seniors are Facebook and YouTube according to the Pew Research Center.
Learn to Use Social Media as a Senior
On average, the total time spent on social media for seniors is 12 hours a week. Although it might seem like a challenge at first, as you may need to adapt to new forms of technology, there are many ways to learn how to use devices and different applications.
Ways to learn these new devices or applications may be:
- Sign up for a demonstration. – Places such as Apple or Microsoft offer weekly training sessions to teach users how to use and get the most out of their products.
- Ask family members for help. – The easiest way to learn about different social media applications or new devices could be to simply ask a family member. This way, not only are you spending time with them, but you are also learning a new skill.
- Visit your local community center or public library. – Most community centers and public libraries offer various activities or classes. One easy way to learn more about your device and social media is to sign up for a computer class! If your library or center does not currently offer computer classes, try suggesting it to the front desk.
If you feel you or your loved one will benefit from taking a hands-on class to learn more about social media and various tech devices, AARP offers monthly classes all around the United States. To find one near you, visit Learn AARP.
Another great option to help you or a loved one is to hire an In-Home Companion Caregiver. We believe in placing companions who can provide superior healthcare services combined with tender loving care. Give us a call to learn more about companion care services and schedule a free in-home consultation at (786) 518-3622 Miami-Dade or (954) 949-1332 Broward.
Additional References:
Onibalusi, L. – “How Social Media Impacts The Lives Of Seniors” (n.d) Retrieved February 4, 2020, from https://thriveglobal.com/stories/how-social-media-impacts-the-lives-of-seniors/
