Am I qualified to advise on the Internet for the elderly? First of all, I am a senior, I am still working and have an active Internet life. So yes, let’s go.
The internet is so big we need to bring it down a bit
Let’s have a look at a few things you can do.
- Google search is
probably the biggest one. - How to do things on Youtube is next
- Buying stuff on the internet eBay
- Selling it later also on the net eBay
- Reading books, listening to music
- Follow a favourite blogger or become one
- Become an Amazon follower
- Use Facebook and Instagram
- Enrol in programmes
- Complete quizzes
- Keep your mind working
- Impress the kids
- Make Money
All will not be new
You may have ticked a couple of boxes here and I hope got some ideas to explore because anything you want is available. You just need to know-how.
First of all my point is do not be scared. You can not break it, you are allowed mistakes and no one but you will know.
Big Brother is not really interested in you other than to sell you something and it will devour a lot of your time.
My next important point does not to spend your money on dreams. Just like in life, there are some bad guys out there that want your money.
Research everything before paying out anything to anyone. You rarely need to pay for anything
Finally in my words of wisdom age is no barrier. I am mid 70’s, I have a friend who is 80 and still writing and so many others similar to you.
In fact just today my wife was out for coffee with a friend. The friend had wanted to buy a special birthday present for her daughter and had shopped all over the town to no avail.
My Wife said to hold a minute went to eBay on the mobile, found the product, ordered it for two-day delivery and went back to having coffee in all of a few minutes. She is past 76 but her friend who is over 80 said: ” I thought I was good on the phone but that beats me”.
Finally
As a final fact when you see words in this blog that are coloured, probably blue, that link to a site about what we are talking about. If you want to know more just click on the word.
We start at a Google search
I am sure most of you will have tried this. It can be done on a Computer, a Tablet or a mobile phone regardless of brand.
You just need an internet connection.
I am not going to teach you how you can search for it.
Youtube when you want to know how
Youtube is entertainment, music social commentary, fun and a learning tool.
I ride a pushbike and my brakes needed adjusting after I repaired a puncture. Try as I might I could not adjust them. Go to YouTube query adjusting my brakes, watch the video of some guy doing it live and the job is done.
I wanted to listen to a song from the movie A Star is Born recently, yep listened to it on youtube. For free.
What is blogging and what good is it to you?
What you are reading is basically a blog. My interest in the internet is written about so you can follow me.
You have Food bloggers, Mummy Bloggers, kid Bloggers, Movies, Reading and just about any subject you want.
If you imagine yourself as a blogger then read on.
The great Amazon mystery
Ok, you know Amazon started in the USA and is now in many other countries as well. You can buy all sorts of stuff from them at a good or at least fair price with lots of guarantees.
This is online shopping at its best and they have hurt a lot of local stores.
Amazon is not the only online store. Now, most businesses come with an online presence so you can search for anything you want.
To refine your search shop local, eg best Men’s cowboy boots in Dallas Texas.
Compare with Amazon and shop where you wish.
Web pages and you
Web Pages are just like a shop front, yellow pages, directory, about pages and more.
Nearly every business now has a webpage so they can be found on the internet.
Back in the olden days, you had to write code and do things in a foreign language. It was difficult and specialised and cost a fortune.
Nowadays you can have a WebPage up and going in minutes not hours or days, what’s more, anyone can do it. I might even teach you how?
eBay and similar online markets
You can buy and sell just about anything on eBay.
Spare stuff around the house, mostly second-hand and at good prices. There are some guarantees with eBay but also be careful because there are a lot of scammers as well. All buyers and sellers get rating scores so use the best and most reliable.
Backed up by Paypal
Paypal is an international banking device that protects the buyer and seller from money transactions over the internet.
It can be unwise using your credit card with some overseas sellers so it is thinking and look before you act
Social media and you, the kids and the grands
I love Facebook, I keep up with the family exploits and my friend’s social activities. It hurts no one but pleases many. Interestingly my wife won’t have a page of her own but trolls mine for information.
Setting up a page takes but a few minutes and you follow people that you want to see. Yes, you get other posts in what they call your feed but just ignore them.
I have a Facebook page all about Rescue Cats. I set it up one day as an experiment in gathering a following and it has now grown to have a life and many regular contributors. It is just a fun thing that provides enjoyment for many.
Instagram is different, it generally includes pictures taken by those you choose to follow and is good for both business or fun. I participate but don’t really get it.
I believe that the 18-35-year-old females found this as entertaining. When they snap baby pictures, of course, the parents then need to be involved and so the movement grew.
Twitter is another one. A tweet is a short sentence about something and sometimes includes pictures.
Probably one of the more famous players is Donald Trump the president of the USA, he is a prodigious user to get his point across. It has worked really well for him. Love him or hate him he has used Social media as an art form.
Furthermore, he is 75 years old so no young hipsters anymore
I do follow several politicians and analysts for current information and thoughts so this is used by every age.
LinkedIn
Now, this is a who-is-who profile of mainly business and professional people. If you want to find out about someone you look up LinkedIn.
Recruitment agencies use this a lot when looking for new employees so you need to be seen.
Snapchat
The kids love this because photos and comments disappear quickly, never to be seen again. Nosy parents can’t keep a check.
The government involvement , forms and you
Nowadays many Government applications and form filling is done online and only online. You need to be able to navigate this at some time in your day.
I was at the Local Welfare bureau recently. They handle payments for all sorts of issues from low-income, unemployed, out of-work, seniors and more.
You can do an online application and not visit at all but you can also go in to speak with them.
However they have a bank of computers set up and you must do your online bit before they will talk to you, there is no way to avoid this. It saves them time in doing it.
The world has changed.
Finding information online
Just about anything you want to know can be dragged from a computer. Have you paid for your car Licence, any outstanding fines etc the amount of information is massive,
In Fact, here in Australia, all our medical records are housed in one spot. Your local Doctor has online access to all your procedures and problems. This is mainly good but it does come with an Opt-out provision for those wishing so.
You have a need to know the basics
Yes, you can nearly always call for help but there are times you will want to be independent.
Having a basic understanding of the abilities of the Internet puts you in a better position.
It does keep the mind active and the fingers dexterous as you type on the keyboard so it can only be good for you.
Where is a good internet learning place?
This is a very long list and it depends on what you want to learn. I did start out by saying watch your money and I will say it again. The best adds are the most costly mistakes.
The most used school of books is probably at Udemi with courses on just about anything but they do have a small cost.
Amazon provides a heap of training about both buying and selling online with information that can be used
One to consider
Learning about websites and making money on the Net is free at Wealthy Affiliate and can give you a great insight as to how it all works. Follow the 80-year-olds and the 20-year-olds to get information and support for your learning experience. ( PS it is free)
If you think you can blog and want to try everything is available here for free, training, a blog site and support. Go on you can do it.
All things bad
I can’t possibly cover all of these but a few come to mind
Online Gambling where no one has control of the odds. The cards are stacked against you, beware.
Cryptocurrencies.
I am a believer that Crypto will be the mainstream product in the years to come. However, the market at this stage is far too volatile to risk your money. A bit like playing with Penny dreadful shares, mostly a dream rarely a reality.
Other gambling scams
Horse racing, share trading with inside information. You may get contacted with a great opportunity to make money. Let me tell you the only money made is by the promoter, stay clear.
Horoscopes.
let me tell you your future, you will be tempted and it can be fun but it is not real.
And there are more
Upsells.
At some stage, you will be tempted to buy something and it will be just a low price so no big deal. Horoscopes are a good example.
So you pay out for $20 or so and get the information. To really make it work however you need to buy the special pack at just $49.99.
Then there is more el supremo is $199.99 and it is a must-have.
By now you are hooked, you can’t get off the boat, they fill you with excitement and you give it one last shot, and there is more.
Get out early, learn and leave.
A great example was a training program called MOBE. $49.95 entry ended up at close to $20,000 of borrowed money. This went on for years until the US feds closed it down.
They were good they got me for two hits before I bailed
Online Dating
This deserves a paragraph on its own
The word for you is to stay well away from overseas sites. You have probably read about the consistent demands for money made by supposed online partners. Huge amounts in some cases to a call centre in Nigeria or similar and never to be recovered.
Do not send money.
I said at the start do not waste money on any internet purchase. Do your research and be careful and this is an area of particular concern.
Google online dating scams then take the love Hat off and bin it, what appears to be true will not be.
In conclusion
Thanks for reading and we will add more in the future on a deeper understanding of what you really need to master
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