More Seniors Using Facebook to Connect with Family and Friends

Seniors Using Facebook

If you have an elderly family member that lives in an independent living community or an assisted living community away from their family, it is easy for them to miss their loved ones.

A great way to help your loved one stay in contact with old friends and family members is with a Facebook page - in fact, there are more seniors using Facebook every day! Follow these basic instructions to help them get started with a Facebook account.

Explaining Facebook to the Elderly

Explain to your elderly family member the purpose of a Facebook page. Inquire at the assisted living facility if they provide basic computer training for their residents and if they are willing to assist them should the person have difficulties while using Facebook. Walk your loved one through the basics by describing what a Facebook page is with positive comments, for example:

"This is a great way for you to find your old friends." Then explain to them how easy it is to find long-lost friends and demonstrate by taking them to your page.

"This is an easy way for you to keep in touch with all of our family." On your Facebook page, show them some status updates or other family members' statuses as a way for them to see how the information is displayed.

"You do not need to have to learn how to email." Show them how messaging works on Facebook and show them the timeline so they can see how easy it is to keep up with friends and family.

"You can play games." Take the time to demonstrate where the games are and how to access them.

Encourage Socializing

Explain to your loved one how to open an account and assist them during the process. If you have a Facebook account, log into the account and demonstrate the signing-in process. Help them with setting up their profile and explain the privacy policy and privacy settings to them.

Encourage your elderly family member to search for old school mates, family members, and friends. Encourage them to talk to other residents in the independent living community about starting a Facebook page so they can show off family photos and share stories about each other's family and friends.

Key Takeaways:

• More seniors are starting to use Facebook as a social tool
• It's easy to show your loved one how to start his or her own page
  
  

Need Help?

If you're interested in learning more about independent or assisted living, contact us today.