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Five Ways the Internet Can Keep You Young
Spectrum Staff
The
older you are, the less likely you are to go online. That’s
a fact that needs to change.
Statistics from the Pew Internet & American Life Project show that for most
Americans, Internet interaction decreases with age: 78 percent of 41-50-year-olds
go online, 72 percent of 51-59-year-olds and 54 percent of 60-69-year-olds go
online. Only 28 percent of Americans age 70 and older go online.
This downward trend can and should be corrected, said Nancy Nehlsen, editor-in-chief
of Boomerful.com, an online community for baby boomer women and their friends.
“The Internet has something to offer people of every age,” she said, “but
sometimes, women age 50-plus who have not spent much time online find it threatening.
They may worry they will do something wrong and look foolish – or worse,
that online predators will take advantage of them. Once they learn to do more
on the Internet, they soon find it becomes an indispensable part of their day-to-day
routine.”
The Internet can provide a wealth of knowledge to improve one’s personal
life. To help baby boomer women get the most out of their online experience,
Nehlsen offers these five benefits of the Internet, which can make life easier
and even help women stay healthy and more youthful.
1. The Convenience of Cocooning
Perhaps the greatest benefit you can derive from online activities is convenience.
In the 1990s, marketing consultant Faith Popcorn predicted a future trend called “cocooning,” in
which people would do more from the privacy and security of their own homes.
Since then, the Internet has become a major facilitator of cocooning.
“People can do most of their shopping, banking and bill-paying online,” Nehlsen
said. “Taking care of those tasks from home is a great stress-reliever – and
reducing stress is important to staying healthy. Plus, you’ll have more
time to do things you enjoy.”
2. Easy Access to the Information Highway
“Without a doubt, the Internet is the largest, most accessible cornucopia
of knowledge the world has ever known,” Nehlsen said. “But you do
need to make sure you’re consulting a reliable source of knowledge. Take
the time to double-check important facts.”
When Nehlsen founded Boomerful.com, her goal was to make it a one-stop information
source for baby boomer women. She recruited top professionals to act as online
consultants, including an anti-aging doctor, a plastic surgeon, a sleep doctor,
a fitness expert, three image consultants, an expert on sex and relationships,
a back specialist and an expert on family/care-giving issues.
While the Boomerful.com panel of experts includes physicians, Nehlsen also encourages
women to visit healthcare websites like WebMD.com, MayoClinic .com and their
own local resources.
“Every woman should become familiar with the website of her community hospital,” she
said, “to find out when it will be holding health screenings and exercise
classes.”
While medical websites are good for researching symptoms, she added, this is
one area where the Internet has limitations. “See your doctor and get regular
check-ups,” she said. “Also, ask your doctor about medical advances
you may see online.”
3. Make Friends Without Leaving the House
Social networks like MySpace and Facebook allow members to interact online as
a community, sharing messages, pictures, blogs and more. A participant can meet
others with similar interests from the privacy and security of their own home.
Currently, the best social networkers online are older teenage girls. Pew researchers
reveal that many techno-savvy teens use e-mail, landline phones, cell phones,
texting, instant messaging and social network sites.
“If you need help with networking online,” Nehlsen said, “consider
asking a young lady in your family, like a niece or granddaughter. It would be
a great bonding experience.”
According to Nehlsen, who has her own MySpace page at www.myspace.com/boomerfullife,
you should be particular about who you select as a social network friend.
“Check out the webpage of any potential online friend before authorizing
them,” she said. “Some webpages in these networks are false fronts
with links leading to adult websites. If you discover one like that, report it
to the network so they can remove it.”
4. Keep Your Career in Gear
There used to be a time when folks could look forward to spending their retirement
in restful leisure. Those days are now just a wistful memory. According to a
Merrill Lynch survey, four out of five baby boomers intend to keep working into
retirement.
“The Internet is an indispensable resource for baby boomer job-hunters,” Nehlsen
said. “Most businesses list their current job openings online, and you
can list your availability on career websites like Monster.com.”
If making ends meet entails developing new skills, the Internet provides an array
of learning resources, including online courses offered by colleges and other
institutions. Online seminars, also known as webinars, are available on every
topic imaginable.
“Some online courses are instructor-led, while others are self-paced – you
can follow your own schedule,” Nehlsen said. “Take time to research
your options. Ask for student testimonials, and check out the credentials of
instructors to make sure the program is right for you.”
5. Build Confidence and Enhance Your Life
“I encourage all adults – and especially women age 50-plus – to
learn as much as possible about the Internet,” Nehlsen said. “Discover
how it can enhance your life. You will be amazed not only by the convenience
it has to offer, but also by the confidence and sense of control you will feel.”
This page and its contents ©2008
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
