An article in Modern Maturity magazine presented the results of a survey of computer use among retired people. Those results were generally positive, but apparently some felt, “who, me?”

Those documented and fearful responses are often reinforced by friends and relatives who discourage senior citizesn from studying "at their age."

In some ancient customs, old men were brought to the top of a mountain by their children, and then left there to die. Children who refused to cooperate were killed.

Our attitudes towards the brain power of some senior citizens seems to be similar. Are our intelligent acquaintances supposed to relinquish their chance to benefit from modern technology, just because they have passed an arbitrary age limit for learning new things?

Retirees

Nobody forces retired people to use the computer. They want to get involved for their own pleasure, excitement, and broadening of vistas and so that they can have contact with today’s world in its most exciting sense. Many are not prepared to invest a great deal of effort or study. They want to enjoy themselves. They are past the stage in which someone may and force them to learn the programs or to be able to contribute by a deadline to a project in a company so that their job will not be on the line. After the pressure of using the computer properly is removed, they can use it for things that they want to do.

What can older people do with the computer?

1. Communications. Older people love email, blogs, forums, and the web. As a matter of fact, younger people love it as well.

2. Writing memoirs. Tell the story of your life to an anonymous computer. If the result is good, then it may be published. You might print a limited number of copies for close friends or relatives, or you may publish a hard-cover book, or anything in between. At this point, you might work together with an editor.

3. Correspondence. Most people who like to keep in touch with others, but they don’t want to bother with letters. A better way to keep in touch is to prepare one master letter on the computer. After you are happy with the results, copy it, personalize each copy and then print it. After the initial letter is written, the modifications will take only a few minutes. The first letter may take time but all of the personalized letters are pure fun. Suddenly your elderly aunt will be in touch with everybody, easily.

But, you say, that first stage - preparing that first letter - surely demands a great deal of work.

Perhaps. However, the anticipated joy of multiple, personalized letters or emails certainly compensates for this initial work.

4. Some senior citizens might want to use the computer to track finances or stock records. Your computer can be set up so that you can receive this information easily.

5. Others may want to study or design illustrative or graphic pictures, while still others may want to sit back and enjoy the lovely, ever-changing designs or music that was prepared by others.

Other issues might change the scenario. For example, a computer that is delivered by a terrified 25 or 30 year old who says, “Lots of luck on this, fellow. I wasn’t able to master it.” can certainly cause it to become daunting or intimidating. And yes, some crude people might discourage others from performing acceptable and manageable things by telling them, “No, you can’t do it.” A major factor in success is Encouragement.

Anybody can learn how to use the computer successfully and well. Those who want to learn how to use it, can do so. There is no age barrier to learning it. There are no restrictions. There are no difficulties.