Seniors, like everyone else, need a compelling reason to expend effort to learn something new. Finding that hook is essential,'' says Dick Schoech, editor of the Journal of Technology in Human Services . Yet even if the incentive is there, many seniors remain skittish. They didn't grow up with PCs, and most likely didn't use them at work. Sherman says peer instructors are usually best and advises seniors against relying on relatives to teach computer proficiency.
Elders also benefit from classes that allow ample practice time.
You want their interaction with the computer to be as pleasant as possible, or they're going to throw up their hands and quit,'' says Craig Spiezle, president of Age Light. Regardless of the type of computer, experts advise deleting superfluous programs and icons that clutter the screen. If vision is a problem, go to the control panel in the Windows or Macintosh operating systems to adjust such features as font size and contrast. Control panel also makes it possible to single click rather than double click the mouse to activate programs. A host of software and computer accessories may make things easier, too.