A recent poll found that 88 per cent of Canadians aged 65 and over use the internet daily and certainly more and more of us are buying things online, connecting with family and friends, streaming music and videos. But perhaps a senior in your life is still not as tech-savvy as they could be.
Here are 5 tips teaching tips for you to use to help develop your senior’s online and digital literacy skills:
1) Avoid jargon: Pay attention to the language you use and choose clear, simple terminology. When you introduce a new term, explain what it is.
2) Be positive and patient: Ask what they like to do online and what they would like to do more of so you can develop a plan together. Start small so that they aren’t overwhelmed.
3) Share digital safety and privacy tips: Discuss potential risks that accompany going online, like scams, privacy risks and identity theft, and how they can protect themselves by leveraging trusted, reputable resources.
4) Emphasize the value: Show a senior how to video chat with friends and family, attend a virtual book club, play online games, learn new hobbies or look up photos on social media.
5) Encourage them to write it down: As you move through different topics they are interested in, encourage them to take notes that they can refer to later.
Source: telus.com
