A couple of weeks ago I went on about, and confessed to more-than-a-bit of trepidation regarding, helping to launch our agency into the nether world of FACEBOOK (“Olympic Area Agency on Aging-Information & Assistance”).
Admittedly, my uncharacteristically tentative attitude reflects exactly that: Mark’s attitude, as opposed to whether or not it’s a good idea because, clearly, it is – And it is, for a single reason: It works.
So, I was forced to confront the obvious question, “What’s my problem?”
Well, OK, there’s that, and there’s probably THAT, too! – But I’m talking about my “problem” regarding this whole “social media thing,” and reflection reveals that there may actually be two problems:
- I am an inherently private person, a clearly unfortunate character defect for someone who writes a weekly newspaper column and does a weekly radio show, and I just didn’t want to have to paste my life all over a “wall;”
- …and I just didn’t want to have to LEARN ANOTHER TECH “THING!”
…hmm…Well, it turns out that:
- I don’t have to, and…
- …I didn’t like the sound of that, in my own head, because you know what it sounds like? Right.
It sounds like what I hear all the time about “seniors,” “old people,” “the elderly,” so I did a little snooping and, of course, what we “hear all the time” is…Well, you know what it is.
It turns out that among “older people” (older than what?) who went online last year, the number using social networks grew twice as fast as the overall rate of Internet use for that group; in other words, we do this. And in order to know why we do this, we can turn to a growing number of “experts” scattered hither-and-yon about the country, who reveal (after careful and detailed study) that we do this because…There’s a reason for it!
I know, but it’s true.
Indeed, those of us who are old-enough-to-know-better and young-enough-not-to-care get involved in social networking – And technology, in general – Because we see a reason to do it. Example:
According to a 2009 study by AARP, about one third of us who are 75 or better live alone; now, I’ve been saying for years that the two biggest “threats” for Elders are “…ignorance and isolation,” so here’s a way to fight that isolation – And when you get on top of “isolation,” “ignorance” just tends to diminish, and I don’t care how old you are.
True: There are stories all over the country about folks who have rekindled by a life by participating in social networks because they’re SOCIAL – People connect with people! People tell stories and share memories and share jokes and support one another and…Care about one another.
And if technology can help do that, I’m for it.
Now, I know that a lot of kids (“kids” who have long-since forgotten the vicissitudes of puberty) are thinking: “Oh, SURE! I can’t get Dad (Mom, Grandma, Uncle Albert – Whomever) to get anywhere near ‘technology’!”
OK, but maybe that’s because you missed the basic TRUTH (well, after the “truth” that most of this “tech stuff” needs to be reasonably simple, help needs to be reasonably available and provided in understandable language and the hardware has to be reasonably easy to manipulate), which is: There has to be a reason for it.
Reasons like:
· I can see pictures of my grandchildren;
· I can communicate with my grandchildren;
· I can communicate with my children (if need be);
· A reading device, like “Kindle,” is a heck-of-a-lot lighter and easier to carry around than 8 big books;
· Sitting in on the transcontinental Thanksgiving dinner via “Skype;”
· …and I can have a life! – And about a gazillion others.
Very likely different reasons than those that might attract a 20-something, but “reasons,” nonetheless.
Isolation kills. Boredom kills. Uselessness, kills.
Learning new things, involvement, interaction define life, for most of us – That isn’t news – What is “news” is that there are new ways to do this, even home alone when you’re…Home alone.
So, here’s what I think: When you’re a part of “life,” you are rarely a victim of it.
And anything that helps do that, is a good thing.
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