Seniors and Social Media
In This Article

More seniors are embracing social media than ever before. When it was first introduced, social media was alien to seniors and most older folks initially chose to ignore it for the most part as they surmised it was merely some newfangled fad. Now that the “newfangled fad” is still here, more seniors have been making an effort to use social media and take interest in it.  As it turns out, being on social media can actually help senior citizens in a number of ways. In this article, we will explore the many ways in which social media can benefit seniors. Let’s dive in!

Defining social media

Before going into too much detail, let’s start with a refresher on what constitutes social media. To the uninitiated, it’s easy to get confused and assume that Facebook is the only form of social media in existence. There are of course, many different social media platforms in use, not just Facebook.

The best social media platforms for seniors

Everyone is different which means some social media platforms are more enjoyable to some folks while other platforms are less engaging. Even if you find social media confusing, you shouldn’t rule it out and exclude yourself from it. Once you get the basics down, you’ll find that social media platforms can actually be a lot of fun.

Here’s an overview of some of the best social media platforms for seniors.

Pinterest

Many seniors enjoy Pinterest because of its simplicity and visual appeal. Pinterest is easy to use and features a virtually endless collection of beautiful and interesting photos to look at. Whether you’re an art lover, a long-time traveler, or just love food, Pinterest has something for you.You will find that Pinterest features a vibrant digital community that you can participate in by leaving comments on pins that you like.

Facebook

Facebook is a great social media platform for seniors because it makes it easy to keep in touch with your friends and family…especially the grandkids. Although many people are still accustomed to learning about family events over the phone, these days you can see what’s going on by simply checking out your loved one’s Facebook page. Some folks even create a Facebook page dedicated to their family in which everyone can share information in one place.  Although Facebook has a lot of tools and features to get used to, all you need is a little practice. Keep in mind, you don’t have to learn how to use Facebook like a pro. For most seniors, knowing how to keep up on current news, message people, publish posts, and find family members on Facebook is sufficient.

YouTube

One of the absolute best social media platforms for older folks is YouTube. Remember all of those nostalgic old songs from back in the day? The ones they don’t play on the radio anymore? You can find them all on YouTube!  In some ways, YouTube is like a time machine. One minute you’re entertaining yourself with cute cat videos and the next you’re watching a 1950s recording of The Platters. Suddenly you feel like you’re back in high school again dancing with your favorite guy or gal. In many ways there is nothing sweeter than nostalgia, you can find all of the nostalgia you want on YouTube.  This social media platform also includes how-to videos such as tips on best flowers to plant in your region and when, plumbing fixes, cooking tips, computer tips…. If you can think of it, YouTube has a video about it…. give it a try!

Instagram

Odds are your family is also on Instagram which is a popular photo-sharing app that lets you connect with brands, celebrities, thought leaders, friends, family, and more. You get to enjoy pictures of the family weekend fishing trip and the kids in the kitchen making dinner. You just “follow” the family posts, your favorite chef and friends all in pictures.

Why is it important for seniors to use social media, what are the benefits

At this point you might be wondering why it’s so important for seniors to use social media. For starters, social media solves one of the single biggest problems that most elderly folks struggle with every day. Loneliness. If you’re living on your own, in a nursing home or most of your friends have already passed away, you can find a sense of belonging. companionship and community on social media.

Try joining different groups and sharing your opinions. Do you still love classic cars? There are dozens of groups for that on Facebook. Love talking to bookworms that have read all of your favorites? There are plenty of groups for that too! Want to get new recipes? You can also share your best recipes with the group.

How to stay safe on social media as a senior citizen

Staying safe on social media should always be a priority. People of all ages are frequently targeted by unscrupulous individuals on social media. Although using social media has many advantages and can be a lot of fun, your safety should always come first.  This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use social media, all it means is that there are some simple precautions that you should take to protect yourself online. Firstly, when it comes to social media, you should only talk to people that you already know.  Start by connecting with your friends and family and go from there. If a family member suggests a friend for you and wants to make an introduction, that’s fine, but steer clear of friend requests from people you have never heard of before.  You should still be careful even when accepting friend requests from people you know. Scammers are known to make fake Facebook pages designed to look like people that you know. If something seems off with their page, pick up the phone and call them to verify that the profile belongs to them and isn’t someone else.  Another safety tip would be to avoid putting excessive amounts of personal information on social media. For example, be careful of what you include in your personal profile, don’t post about the dates you are going on trips, leaving the house for long periods of time, or where your street address is, etc.

Why you shouldn’t use social media to find buyers for your life insurance policy

If you’re interested in selling your life insurance policy, you might be thinking about using social media to help you find a buyer. After all, people sell all kinds of stuff on social media. While creative, it’s not a good idea. There are too many scammers out there to make this a viable option. The safest and most effective way to sell your life insurance policy is to work with a company that people trust instead, a company like MRE Finance.

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