SENIORS AND COMPUTERS

By Dave Wallace

RIVER BENDER -November 1998

If you think that the fast-moving computer age is passing senior citizens by then visit the New Bern Computer Users Group (NBCUG) for breakfast at 8 A.M. at the Elk's Lodge on the second Saturday of each month. Chris Kling, who writes the UPBEAT column for the SUN JOURNAL, once wrote that he expected to see a bunch of young computer nerds at the meeting but was surprised to see that it looked more like an AARP meeting. Most of NBCUG's members are senior citizens. It wasn't planned that way. Surveys have been made to determine why they attend the meetings and overwhelmingly it is because they are looking for help with their new PCs. The help they get comes from meeting people during breakfast and by finding who to call or send e-mail to on the list of 363 members. Also several special interest groups have been formed in the club where members can obtain more specialized information and get to know each other better.

The NBCUG is an unusual group. Early attempts to organize it as a formal club failed for lack of volunteers. Finally, it was decided that the group would simply become a breakfast gathering followed by a program presented by any willing member or outside speaker. It didn't take long to discover that many members were retirees from computer and communications companies who could speak professionally on numerous subjects relating to PCs. Lacking a speaker, a meeting automatically became an open forum where members were given an opportunity to air their problems. To keep it all glued together several members volunteered to moderate meetings, prepare minutes, schedule speakers and keep track of donations. Yet when asked who wanted to be President, nobody ever volunteered.

Nearly one-third of Americans between the ages of 50 and 64, and 11 percent of those 65 and older have a personal computer at home, according to the Yankelovich Monitor survey. Nearly one-fourth of those subscribe to an online service. The NBCUG discovered that practically all of the members that attended the monthly meetings were online. Of the total membership two-thirds were online.

Once seniors learn how to access the World Wide Web, the sky's the limit. They search for information in a manner that has never been available before in history. Studies show that 64% of seniors with computers are online daily. They stay online because they form associations with people in chat groups or with e-mail or they visit Web pages that meet their interests or needs. For example, in our family we research subjects exhaustively before we make major purchases or visit a doctor or plan a trip. In writing articles, I use the World Wide Web to research subjects. Also when one wants the latest breaking news, it usually shows up on the Web first. Search engines that we discussed earlier make finding information a snap.

For seniors that live alone or are homebound, a PC and especially one with access to the Internet is a wonderful way to keep an active mind, stay in tune with what's happening in the world and keep in contact with friends and family members using e-mail. Perhaps the only thing that a PC can't do well is replace reading a good book in bed. My wife still insists her old Underwood typewriter does a better job typing recipe cards. Well, I guess you can't win 'em all.