Benefits of Social Media for Seniors

Social media has become an important part of life for people of all ages. This is how families stay connected despite miles between them, how friends communicate after moving to different cities, and how individuals stay in tune with what's going on in the world. While seniors may often be excluded from social media trends because, in many cases, they are not as dedicated to the use of mobile devices and computers, it's completely unfair to totally rule them out in terms of social network activity. In fact, home care professionals encourage elderly individuals to leverage the power of social media in order to enrich their lives and keep in contact with loved ones.

Accessing Social Networking Sites
When it comes to senior care, Always Best Care Asheville-Hendersonville professionals know that technology is often at the bottom of the list of priorities. When you are taking care of your loved one you are certainly more concerned with their physical wellbeing and mental health. But think about it: connecting with loved ones near and far can contribute to positive emotional and mental wellbeing. This said, it is a great idea to help your senior figure out how to navigate Facebook, at the very least. Social networking sites can be accessed on the computer or on a smartphone or tablet, so your senior will have several options depending upon their level of comfort with digital devices.

Setting Up a Profile and Connecting
Senior care professionals certainly don't want to overwhelm elderly individuals who aren't comfortable with the Internet just yet, although those who are tech savvy are encouraged to go for it in terms of building their profiles and reaching out to friends and family. For those seniors who aren't well-versed in the use of the World Wide Web, though, help them to create a profile and take an hour or so to walk them through the basic features of Facebook. Send out friend requests to those people with whom they would like to connect so that they can get started.

Protecting Your Loved One
Online scams are, unfortunately, quite common. For this reason, make sure your senior knows the importance of refusing a friend request from anyone they don't know. As long as your loved one is able to safely navigate social networks, these online assets can be quite valuable!