Columbia Aged Care

While information technology has become second nature to younger generations, it still remains a bewildering and scary concept to many elderly people.

Technological advances now allow elderly people to have access to new systems and programs designed to help them live independently.

To help them make the most of technology, and stay in contact with friends and family more easily why not set aside some time to help them understand the concept and how to use technology, such as computers, the internet, emailing and even mobile phones.

Chad Hunter has provided four helpful tips on how to teach technology to the elderly these include:

1. Be patient.
Take your time and slowly go through the whole process clearly and concisely. Making the person feel rushed, stupid or incompetent will not help the situation. Remember this is all new and difficult to understand.Take your time and take breaks if you get frustrated.

2. Use analogies.
Elderly people are used to learning new things and have learnt alot during their lives. Use analogies to describe different terminologies and instructions to help them not only understand but remember when you aren’t there.

3. Spoon-feed terms.
World wide web, email, hard drives and symbols like ‘@’ are all new to elderly people with no technological knowledge. Go through it slowly since most of these terms seem like a foreign language to younger learners, you can imagine what your elderly student might be feeling. It would be a good idea to put together a glossary and instructions that they can refer to and study.

4. Practice makes perfect.
Sit with your student and go over concepts and practice exercises with them. Give them tasks and things of their interest to do on the computer. Show them how email can connect them to family. Show them how digital cameras can capture hundreds of photos.

Once you find things of interest for them, have them practice these steps as much as possible.

ABC of Yoga have written an article explaining that yoga is the perfect activity for seniors to stay fit and relax. They have also provided a basic yoga session for seniors to follow.

Growing Old is the stage when you have more time for yourself, your family, for leisure, recreation and relaxation. However, it is also the time when you are more susceptible to some ailments that are linked to old age like Arthritis, rheumatism, incontinence, and High Blood Pressure. This raises the need for the seniors to stay fit and healthy during this age. Though the degeneration of the body also set some limits to the types of exercises they can do.
This leads to the practice of milder forms of exercise such as jogging, brisk walking, and even Yoga.

Yoga is a form of exercise that adapts to your needs and abilities that it can be done even by Senior Citizens and Pregnant Women, and deals with your whole being. It makes your body fitter, the mind calmer and more relaxed. Yoga is also beneficial in the prevention and control of common health and emotional problems that is linked with Old Age.

It helps you in becoming more in touch with yourself and your body enabling you to accept who you are and the state you are in which creates a positive approach in life. Some Yoga Asanas are designed to normalise your blood pressure and balance the Nervous System and are essential in the prevention of heart ailments and problems in the nervous system.

The Breathing Techniques can make you feel refreshed and cleanses the air passages which can help prevent respiratory ailments.

In practicing Yoga, know your body and respect its limits. Do not push yourself too hard in a pose. Yoga can only be effective if you practice it properly. The harder you try, the more you expose yourself to injury. Do not put more stress to your already stressed out body.
 
Remember that Yoga aims to quiet the mind as you exercise the body. If you feel pain, stop what you are doing. ABC of Yoga have provided a basic yoga session for seniors to follow. You do not have to do all the poses, stop when you already feel tired.