Should Fluther hook elderly people in elder homes with Fluther for them to get the opportunity to answer life's questions to the youth here? Since elders experienced it and know what's up!

That’s actually a pretty good idea. I wish we had more elders here.

There are already members of all ages here. I’m not sure how to market to that demographic though.

sounds great

Thats a great idea, it would allow them to interact with people outside the home. I love getting advice from my elders.

@ESV i nominate you to explain it all to them. and “The Google” as well.

@eponymoushipster lol “the Google” that made me phyically laugh.

Lurve “the Google”

did you know they make chips called “googles” i was so confused lol

I haven’t visited an old folks’ home since computers became part of everyone’s life. I’ve tried to picture what it’s going to be like when our younger generation gets there—a bunch of old coots wielding mice and pumping adrenalin, graphically charging around the screen in race cars and on skateboards or pow-powing away at enemies who expire with screams and splats of blood or doing business with imaginary creatures who sell weapons in a war zone (I don’t play these games, but I have two sons). Sometimes I worry that the day room will come to violence when people vie for computer time. Could hooking someone on Fluther be a prelude to senior mayhem?

As far as elderwisdom is concerned, you can still take your chances with the Baby Boomers-plus that we know we’ve got here. And everyone, no matter how effed-up their lives, is qualified to give advice—have you noticed that?

i taught computer classes at a public library. you can’t even begin to imagine.

Old people are best left to story telling. This environment is not the platform for just listening and gleaning experiential knowledge from. Too tempting to let all opinions fly in the face of each other here.

Old people don’t want to be challenged on their beliefs or have to back it up with modern science. Best to just sit and listen to their life stories and take away what you can from that.

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies You greatly generalize and underestimate the elderly by making such a statement.

No, that would be bad. Advertising Fluther there might be what you want to do but from what I have seen they have no place for computers there. The people there are not in charge of their space of funds.

@The_Compassionate_Heretic

Have you ever worked in Convalescent home? What would you suggest?

I think this a great idea.

I go to an assisted living facility a lot. Problem is, they have only one public computer and that, I think, is older than my house. Certainly the copy of IE on it wouldn’t be able to render this site in full glory. But that should be somewhat fixable.

The next challenge would be in getting some of those elders properly introduced to the PC. When you think about the interface paradigm involved in interacting with a community via the web, the learning curve is non-trivial for a population that has avoided computers in large part. That’s a bit harder… and I don’t want to find myself as their personal IT on-call guy.

All in all though, it seems like a very worthwhile effort. I’ll hafta consider the logistics more.

What makes you think there aren’t elderly people here?!

How old is “elderly”? And is that different from “old people”?

Sounds great! Nothing I could see more then people at the end of their life. Trapped like the rest of us in front of their computer. I say fluther send the people in elder homes frisbees or hackie sacks with their logo on it.
They can play outside with their grand children or friends. Instead of letting that anti-christ box walk them to their grave. :-)

“Now listen here sonny, why would I wanna hang out with you rap singing, ass crack showing, gold chain carrying, crack snortin’, anti-Jesus…young hoodlem whipper snappers anyways”?

@robmandu. Your point about introducing them to the intricacies of dealing with computers is valid.

I think it’s a shame that the iPhone isn’t available in a larger version as it’s fairly goof proof—-/at least as compared to a windoze machine.

It would also be nice if they could resurrect the Sega Dreamcast as that is also a simple way to interact with the Internet with the browser disc they provided. This was my first ( and very affordable) way to get online. Because nothing could be downloaded it was pretty good proof.

The worst thing that could happen was getting kicked off after it choked on some flash-heavy site. But you just got back on and pickup where you left off.

It’s too bad that something patterned after that is not currently available. I think most seniors could handle it with little difficulty. It did the trick for me except that I pretty much outgrew it after a month or so. But it was a great intro to the Internet and “the Google” for someone like me who didn’t grow up with computers.

Microsoft did previously come out with a similar device in the early nineties which they termed an “Internet appliance” but started off charging $500 for it so it never caught on——the device itself was great but the priced it way too high for a device so hampered compared to a computer——only a 32mb ram chip and no download capacity.

I got mine when they reached the desperation stage and were giving it away thru Radio Shack if you signed a contract for 2 yes of MSN service.

If they brought it back for a reasonable price I think that it’s ease of use would be a major selling point for a senior market. Goofproof is a major advantage.

Hmmm. Very thoughtful idea for optimising the wisdom traffic on fluther.

@Mr_Callahan, is that how you think people who were young in the 1950s and 1960s talk?

I reckon Jeruba.

@Jeruba @Mr_Callahan I didn’t think that. It’s just a humorous or cartoonish way of interjecting some fun into the conversation. I was born in the 1940’s and of course we didn’t lak tha’ much.

I’m a “boomer” (we’re not baby anymore), and I don’t think I’ve ever called anyone “Sonny” unless that was his name (that was my father-in-law’s name).

One issue that might come up is the amount of disrespect shown to other users on the internet. I’ve been insulted a few times with people saying “that was your generation, it’s not like that now”, or “you’re old and set in your ways”.

that’s a great idea. as to disrespect, it’s (a) not confined to the net, and (b) no one would be forced to participate. it’s just an idea to make fluther available. i think people usually like having options. anyway, i sure do.

along the same lines, i think prisoners should have the option to foster a shelter cat (or dog if feasible) that would otherwise be destroyed.

Jeruba

the elderly means senile or retarded (in the context of age)

old people is anyone over 60

Since when does “elderly” mean senile or retarded???

For heaven’s sake, are you isolated from anyone over the age sixty that you are that clueless??!

@basp oh dear….i was trying to be amusing in a slightly sarcastic way….i’m sorry for causing offence…..i don’t really think that old or elderly people are useless or limited in any way…my parents are both well over 60…my nan is 93…..really sorry…....

That’s ok, tadpole. I understand. Sometimes it is difficult to read the tone of a message. Apologies from me to you for the misinterpretation.

no problem…i admit sometimes it is unclear where another is coming from….and sometimes that includes me…

@tadpole @Mr_Callahan
~Now see here, young’uns, we won’t have that kind of disrespect for yer elders around here!~

@yetanotheruser like i got to apologize again?! :)

Yes! And give Aliens Fluther too. So they can tell us what it’s like out there.

My mother’s boyfriend, before he died at 94 learned about computer use at the local public library; then he taught many of his compatriots at his Independent Living unit in a staged are facility. My mother refused to try but many others (average age in late 80’s) got pretty proficient. They learned to email and browse the web.

I am over 60? Am I an old person? Not compared to my 95 year old mother.
Is my brain more befuddled than many young people? (What’s a gerund?)

@gailcalled

I am 67, Gail, and have been online since about 1989. Computer use is almost second nature to my wife and me. We even first met online. We both hang out on a VR site called Kaneva, and have a whole RAFT of friends there from all over the world. Since I’ve been disabled ( they say 100%, I say about 10% ), I tend to vary from spending time online, to spending time in RL with my wife, to spending time in RL on my Harley. Life is good! : ))

—I actually started using a computer in 1969! gov’t stuff!——