One type of Internet appliance that may find favor with seniors is an Internet picture frame. No computer is required. Whether you're talking about elderly people or young people, it's a mistake to constrain them in advance. For seniors who potentially might want to handle their finances online, for example, a PC or Mac is a better choice than an Internet appliance, which won't run software applications like Quicken. Some Web sites, including such biggies as Wells Fargo and Bank of America, don't work with Web browsers running on non-PC devices.
Many older folks have a bit of technophobia.
They haven't grown up with computers, so they don't necessarily understand anything about them. Jacobson overcame her fears with the help of her niece, Sheryl Coryell. Now Coryell, an Albany psychotherapist, has gotten into computer training for seniors as a sideline. She will do everything from consulting about what to buy and how much to budget, to helping set a system up and training on popular software like Quicken. Community centers and senior centers often offer low-cost or free training programs.