Surfin' Seniors: Computers and the Internet for Baby Boomers

Everybody knows that learning doesn't end with high school or college. Once we have finished with our formal educations, we still have a big, wide world to understand and master. Most of us learn to live with our partners, and make a loving marriage work. We have to learn to be parents. We have to learn new skills, and abilities to continue to reach career goals, and find new successes in our chosen fields.

We also live in an increasingly changing world that finds new developments in technology challenging our understanding of – and ability to interact with – our media-saturated surroundings. From radio to television, the automobile to the airplane, with each new technological development cultural challenges arise that require new skills and understanding. No single technology has had as much impact on the 21st century as the computer, and the Internet.

In today's world, it seems that nearly everything involves interacting with computers. From the cell phone, to the ATM machine, to the news we watch on the television set, everything relies on complex computing networks moving information from one point to another for our entertainment and edification. With the introduction of the personal computer, we found that this new technology became a part of our every day lives.

Understanding how to use a computer, and negotiate the Internet is becoming a crucial part of living a vital, active life. Today, even our grandchildren are surfing the Internet and sending email. Learning a few basic skills can provide you with new abilities that can expand your horizons, simplify your life, and even bring you closer to the ones you love. There are a number of ways for seniors interested in computers and the Internet to learn more. Not only can these experiences be accessible and informative, they can also be a fun way to get out, make new friends, and open up a world of new experiences.

One of the best ways to learn more about this brave new world, is to take a look at the programs offered by your local schools, universities, community centers, and recreation departments. With just a little investigating, you'll find that these resources offer a number of options when it comes to learning everything from computer basics and Internet 101, to mastering sophisticated software applications.

There are a lot of advantages to this kind of formal, in-class learning. In most of these situations, every student will have the advantage of learning at their own computer, receiving plenty of hands-on practice and personalized instruction. This will save you the expense of needing to buy a computer in order to learn how to use one. It will also give you a chance to find out what you like to do on a computer, giving you a leg-up on your shopping once you get around to making a purchase.

Classes of this kind usually start from scratch, walking students through the basics: hooking up a computer properly, terminology, using a printer and a mouse, etc. Once you grab the basics, most courses will move on to an elementary understanding of the Windows operating system, along with the how-to's of basic word processing and spreadsheet software.

Like any class for seniors, these courses are usually paced for your comfort, but what about your physical comfort? For many seniors, the barrier to computer literacy isn't a lack of curiosity, or a fear of the unknown, it is difficulty with the physical dexterity required to negotiate the keyboard and the mouse. Arthritis, and vision problems can inhibit seniors from even taking the first steps toward learning more about computers. Luckily, there are a number of new products available that can remove these barriers, and have any senior surfing away in no time.

For seniors with vision problems, computers can be intimidating. Not only does computing require reading a keyboard, it also requires reading a – sometimes dimly lit or glaring – screen. However, these issues don't need to be a barrier. Visi- Key Keyboards are the same size as regular keyboards, but the letters and numbers are 430% larger. For seniors who need extra help with seeing and typing, Big Key Keyboards are a just the right solution, and products like the   Bigtrack Track Ball and the Vertical Mouse can assist with the fine motor control computing requires. Items like the ZoomText product line can magnify and enhance everything on your monitor screen, making it easier to see under any conditions.

As computers become more user friendly, classes become easier to find, and new products make it easier for seniors to manage the use of these new technologies, computer geeks of all ages are free to explore cyberspace for all they're worth. C'mon, jump in! The cyberspace is fine!