The internet, while a shell of its former glory, is still the closest thing we have to the Wild West. It’s a bubbling cauldron of humanity’s best achievements and most embarrassing mistakes.
Seniors who learn to use the internet soon learn to appreciate the chaos. While their first initial steps into the web are often slow and fraught with confusion, that’s to be expected. In fifty years when our grandchildren scoff at us for not being fully assimilated into the AI mindcloud, we’ll understand just how they feel.
Online safety for senior internet users is important, however. Without the years of experience necessary to cultivate a healthy skepticism for all things online, it has to be taught. Read on for some tips to help seniors make the most of the web, and keep them safe in the process.
Online Safety for Senior Internet Users
Safety is the same for everyone online in that there are some things nobody should be doing, regardless of age. Assuming the senior you’re tutoring in the ways of the internet already knows how to use a mouse and keyboard, security lessons come first. It might seem like common sense to us, but for newbies to the internet, pitfalls aren’t always so obvious.
Once you’ve explained the basics so they won’t immediately start downloading viruses or have their identity stolen, you can allow them their freedom. Until then, it’s probably best you stand behind them and endure some cat videos on YouTube while they orient themselves. Navigating pages like YouTube and Google is second nature to us, so much so that we forget we’re on autopilot.
It’s important to remember to pause for a moment and appreciate everything we learned years ago. When we started, it was difficult to find the cursor on the screen, too. Patience is a virtue, and success in helping protect seniors online could vastly improve their quality of life.
Cybersecurity Tips for Seniors
When it comes to safe browsing for seniors, the same rules apply to them as they do to us. While curiosity is undoubtedly a virtue, so is being able to detect the real Nigerian princes from the fake ones. Rule one is that if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
A short explanation of how people commonly run afoul of scammers is probably a good idea here. It’ll stand them in good stead for their online career if you manage to instill a deep distrust in them of any apparent prizes they’ve won and avail them of the true intent of the sexy singles in their area. In short, any scam aimed at the inexperienced and naive is a potential threat before they’re made aware of the lay of the land.
Fortunately, it doesn’t take a genius to understand that the internet, despite initial appearances, is a cutthroat domain. A step or two outside the relative safety of YouTube, Google, Wikipedia, and Facebook, and you may find your seniors ordering counterfeit Hummel figurines from the dark web. Seniors are no strangers to the dangers of being scammed, they have a lifetime of experience, after all, it’s just important to point out the particular dangers of the online ecosystem.
Online Privacy for Elderly Folk
Once you’ve hammered the message home that they’re not allowed to visit any links they don’t recognize, you can begin the privacy talk. Social media is a fairly advanced online niche in terms of the level of understanding you need to navigate it successfully, but Grandma will want to see her family’s photos, so there’s no avoiding it. Help them make their account and connect to their closest family members, and instruct them on the importance of password protection to cover the absolute basics of internet security for seniors.
Explain to them the difference between private and public posts, and give them an embarrassing example of a social faux pas to help them remember it. It’s also worth explaining the peculiar outlook some people have online, and how ignoring idiots is almost always a better strategy than engaging them. Trolls and people with a genuine screw loose propagate online in every corner of the internet, so forewarned is forearmed.
A Daunting Prospect
For seniors who haven’t had much or even any contact with the digital world, it’s going to be hard to digest. Many seniors give up before they’ve even begun because there’s so much to learn, and that’s a real shame. If you’re shouldering the task of teaching a senior how to stay safe online, and how to make the most of the experience, patience is key.
Taking things slowly and adopting a step-by-step teaching strategy will pay out immensely. It’s hard not to get frustrated with people who struggle with the basics of computer use, especially as a dyed-in-the-wool YouTube procrastinator. Remember, as far as your seniors are concerned, they’re trying to learn Chinese.
If you can curb your frustrations and guide them towards constructing enough of a foundation that they can begin to explore on their own, you’ve done your job. The trick is to teach them enough so they can figure things out through trial and error without accidentally sending their savings to India. You’ll know you’ve succeeded when in a week you’re being sent incomprehensible memes and baby goat videos.
It might not be such a big deal for you to show the ropes to a senior, but they’ll thank you for it. Nobody forgets their introduction to the internet, and you’ll have enabled their access to a world of information and enjoyment.
Senior Living in Summerhouse Beau Ridge
Online safety for senior internet users isn’t impossible to achieve, it just takes a little guidance to get them accustomed. Once they’re confident in their abilities and know what not to do, internet access is one of the most engaging tools available to us today and something everyone should take full advantage of.
At Beau Ridge, we’re happy to support unfettered access to the internet for all seniors and the positive effect it has on those who take an interest.
If you’d like to find out more about our services, don’t hesitate to reach out today!
