I hate the term ‘silver surfer’. It implies that you are really too old to know what a computer does but amazingly you can do stuff after all. A work colleague once looked on in amazement and declared ‘She’s pretty good for a woman her age!’ as I repaired her failing computer. My nephew once joked that I couldn’t possibly know about social networking. My daughter told me that I really shouldn’t be on Facebook as it was ‘just for young people’.
Well, sorry guys but I would challenge any one of you in this department. I am pretty good at social networking (in fact, I juggle two twitter accounts and a Facebook account). I was an early adopter of Google + but chose to ditch it as it didn’t really suit my needs. I am confident using lots of different Web 2.0 technologies and demonstrated Prezi to an audience of MUCH younger people. I regularly use Google docs and have created QR codes. Just because I am 58, this does not make me unusual. It just means that I love technology and love learning something new.
I am proud to say that my in-laws started to learn how to use computers in their 80s. My grumpy brother-in-law told them that they couldn’t possibly do it. They saw it as a challenge, went to night classes and got certificates. My father-in-law used his skills to do family tree research and after he died, my mother-in-law used to fill her sleepless nights chatting online to other similarly bereaved and lonely insomniacs. She used Facebook, uploaded family photos, answered emails and generally used technology to fill the void left by her husband’s passing.
Technology has nothing to do with age and everything to do with attitude and mindset. There is nothing we can’t do at any age if we turn our minds to it.
Silver surfer? Me? #notonyournelly
Lynda's Blog 
Totally agree. I retired in December age 61. ICT was my favourite subject to teach 7 -11 year olds. They are now missing out as younger members of staff are not as interested. I too was widowed 7 weeks ago. Without social networking etc, I ‘d be quite lonely.