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Activities For Senior Citizens: Seniors On Facebook Having A Fabulous Time
Boomers and Social Media is a research report from eMarketer.com that analyzes information from May, 2009. That information found that 47% of all baby boomers who use the Internet keep a profile on at least one social networking web site. That's a gain of 15% from 2008. Facebook seems to be the social media site used by most baby boomers and the WWII generation. (via New Report Shows Boomers, Seniors Like Social Media.)
I have passionately encouraged seniors on personal computers and the Internet as a way of perpetuating a great quality of life for our aging friends, specifically in the area of memory improvement. I, myself, hold a Facebook account and several other social media accounts, as well. I check my Facebook page practically every day because it helps me maintain contact with people I know all over the world. Actually, I have never met some of them face-to-face, and others I have not seen for fifty years or more!
On Facebook you will run into many activities for senior citizens, as well as special groups about anything you can imagine. It is probable that you will find alumni groups for your high school, people who grew up in your home town, or even your family! If not, you can launch a senior community of your own, or any other kind of group you like! Seniors on Facebook have a number of groups, and I subscribe to a few of them myself.
If you are reading this it is likely that you are a computer user. As such, you will already know of the advantages to be gained by owning and using a personal computer. However, you most probably also know that many the aging population are heedless of the things they can do with a computer, or are manifestly put off by the idea of using computers. This is a problem for both them and for us, because we want the contacts we might have with them. In fact, if you are the child or grandchild of a senior who doesn't use a computer or the Internet, you will almost definitely profit from sending that individual a reprint of this article!
Here are a few of the benefits of Facebook that make it so excellent for seniors:
The Wall is a location on every user's profile that permits acquaintances to leave messages for the user to see.
Photos, where members can easily place albums and pictures. Privacy setups may be specified for particular albums, which determine the users that can view an album. For example, the privacy of an album can be set so that only the Facebook member's friends can see the album, while the privacy of another album can be set so that all Facebook users can see it. Another feature of the Photos application is the ability to "tag", or label users in a photo. For instance, if a photo contains a user's friend, then the user can tag the friend in the photo. This sends a notification to the friend that they have been tagged, and provides them a link to see the shot.
Status, which allows Facebook users to apprise their friends of their whereabouts and actions. Based on privacy settings, anyone who can view a user's profile can also observe that user's Wall. Facebook also allows users to post attachments to the Wall.
News Feed, that appears on every Facebook user's homepage and publicizes information including profile changes, imminent events, and birthdays of the user's friends, if users opt to allow this.
Facebook Notes, a blogging feature that allows tags and embeddable images.
Gifts , which allows users to send virtual gifts and cards to their friends
Marketplace, which lets users post free classified ads.
Facebook is pretty easy to join, and the many levels of of privacy offered will make nearly all seniors comfortable. If you want to check it out without committing, use your web browser to get to the Facebook site, Facebook.com. Once you have arrived at that page, click on the "Find Friends" link at the bottom of the page. On the following page, enter my name, Robert Alan McCluskey, in the space labeled Search for People, and press the enter key or click the magnifying glass. Next you will view a page that identifies me. Click on my name (Robert Alan McCluskey again) to validate that I am the appropriate person and you will see a brief extract of my Facebook profile. If you are interested in proceeding, click on the Sign Up button to the right of my profile and follow the instructions. You will quickly reveal the many activities for seniors, as well as lots of other fabulous options! See you there!
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