How Your Senior Parent Can Make Healthy Use of Social Media
Seniors have recently embraced social media to keep in touch with friends and family, learn about the world, and stay informed. However, many health benefits can come with using social media for seniors. Here are seven ways seniors can make healthy use of social media:
- Track your health
- Connect with friends
- Stay informed about current events
- Exercise your mind
- Get creative
- Share ideas and experiences
- Stay active and socialize safely
Track Your Health
Social media can track various health aspects such as diet, exercise routines, and sleeping habits. Popular apps like FitBit or MyFitnessPal can help users set goals and track their progress over time. Additionally, many health-related Facebook groups for seniors offer support, advice, and accountability for meeting health goals.
Connect With Friends
Social media platforms are great tools for keeping up with friends who live far away or reconnecting with old acquaintances. By sending private messages or joining group conversations on sites like Facebook or Instagram, seniors can easily stay connected to those they care about without ever leaving the house.
Stay Informed About Current Events
Staying aware of what’s happening in the world is important at any age, especially for seniors who may not have as much access to traditional forms of news like newspapers and television stations. Sites like Twitter or Reddit provide a wealth of information from multiple sources, making it easier to stay up-to-date on current events without relying on one source exclusively.
Exercise Your Mind
Mental exercises such as puzzles, crosswords, and trivia games help keep the mind sharp by stimulating cognitive performance and preventing the cognitive decline associated with aging. Puzzle apps like Wordscapes or Sudoku let players challenge each other with classic brain teasers, while educational apps such as Khan Academy allow seniors to participate in a fun yet informative tutorials in various subjects, from history to computer science.
Get Creative
With all the photo editing features available today on platforms like Snapchat or Instagram Stories, it’s easy for seniors to let their creative juices flow and express themselves through art or digital photography projects – even if they lack formal training. Taking part in online art challenges is also a great way to practice new techniques while staying connected with others who share similar interests in creating something beautiful out of nothing.
Share Ideas and Experiences
From becoming an expert blogger about topics that matter most to you, sharing stories about your life experiences through memoirs, or writing advice columns tailored towards helping other people – there are countless ways that social media allows seniors to pass down their wisdom and knowledge to future generations.
Stay Active and Socialize Safely
Social isolation has been linked to negative impacts on physical and mental health, so finding ways to connect safely is essential during this pandemic season when visiting family and friends is less feasible due to restrictions being put into place across municipalities worldwide. Thankfully, popular video chat services like Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Facetime provide a secure environment where seniors can still socialize, play games, and watch movies together virtually.
Beware: Dangers of Social Media to Seniors
Paying attention to what your senior parent or other loved one does on social media is important. While there are many ways an older individual can make healthy use of social media, there are also some hazards and dangers.
Social media has become an integral part of modern life, but it is especially dangerous for seniors who may not be fully aware of the risks it can pose. From exposure to cyber-scams to inappropriate content and social manipulation, here are five dangers of social media for seniors.
First, seniors are particularly vulnerable to scams and fraud due to their inexperience with social media platforms. It’s easy for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting users by sending malicious links or emails that can lead to identity theft or even financial loss. Seniors should be careful about clicking on any links sent via messages and look out for suspicious offers or requests for personal information.
Second, seniors need to be aware that their posts and activity on social media could greatly impact their future prospects. Employers often conduct background checks using social media accounts, so they may view anything posted online negatively and make assumptions about an individual’s character based on what they find there. This can also lead to issues when applying for loans or other financial services if posts appear inappropriate in some way.
Third, many seniors spend far too much time on social media without considering the amount of private information they reveal online daily. Not only can this put them at risk from cybercriminals looking to steal their data or manipulate them into making bad decisions, but it also makes it easier for trolls and bullies who could cause harm through harassment or threats.
Fourth, seniors should be careful of the content they come across on social networks, as some may contain explicit language or images that could be harmful or offensive in some way. Even if the content does not contain inappropriate material directly, it could still lead people to websites containing these things, which could then cause distress or embarrassment for those involved.
Fifth, relationships formed over the internet can be just as real and damaging as those formed offline if boundaries aren’t respected and appropriate levels of trust aren’t established beforehand. Social networks make it easy to get in contact with strangers who are willing to offer advice without knowing anything about them, so extra caution should always be taken before entering into any sort of relationship online – even a platonic one – as you never know who you may be talking with behind the screen.
Seniors need to understand that although social media can offer many benefits, such as staying connected with family members living abroad or keeping up with current events happening around the world – there are still risks associated with its use that must not be ignored. Educating themselves about these potential dangers and following best practices while using different platforms will help ensure they stay safe online while minimizing any potential damage should something go wrong.