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There are some simplified computers that are made specifically for the elderly, but most are not. The simplified ones might not do all that you want them to, either, so that’s something to consider. If you’re older and learning the computer for the first time, or if you’re getting a computer for an elderly person, make things as easy as possible. Get a computer that will handle all of the basics, but it doesn’t need to have a lot of frills or special features. Also, get e-mail hosting set up and make sure that it’s easy to access the Internet.
Once it’s all set up properly, you can learn how to use it or teach someone else how to use it. If you’re the one learning, there are books you can buy that will show you, step by step, some of the basic things you can do with a computer. Then you can move on to things that are more advanced. If you’re the one teaching, make sure to go slowly, and write things down so that the person you’re teaching will have them to refer back to when you’re not there. That’s a great way to help them learn.
It’s never a good idea to patronize someone or talk down to them, but you want to explain things clearly and thoroughly, so that they make sense. That’s especially true for an elderly person who’s never had experience with a computer. What makes perfect sense to you might be full of terms that they’ve never heard before, so be ready to explain a lot of things. Once that’s all done, they should be able to use the basic functions of the computer easily, and they should also be able to send and receive e-mail and access the Internet so that they can stay connected.
