Wednesday Aging in Place

Each Wednesday, Laurie Orlov, tech industry veteran, writer, speaker, elder care advocate and Faculty Advisor for the Aging in Place Technology Department at Computer School for Seniors will be sharing her insightful research on how seniors can safely and successfully live independent lives in the home of their choice.


Woman learns computer skills at age 93

A greater number of seniors are learning how to get connected with family and friends via the computer and the Internet. Here’s a recent story about a lady in Florida who learned the joys of being able to communicate with her five great-grandchildren using email.

Dorothy Johnson was determined to learn how to use a computer.

PASCO COUNTY (Bay News 9) Sunday, October 18, 2009 -- Imagine growing up in the Great Depression, when food was tough enough to come by, much less a typewriter.

In Hudson, 93-year-old Dorothy Johnson is now delving into the digital world.

Johnson has done many things in her decades of life experience, but checking e-mail was not on that list.

"I had no idea how to use it," said Johnson.

Johnson's daughter thought her mom could handle a technical challenge, and bought her a laptop computer to help the family keep in touch.

Instructor Lucinda Durkee taught Johnson the basics.

"She was just so cute," said Durkee. "She said, ‘I got this from my daughter and I don't know how to use it.' She wanted to learn e-mail, so I wrote it down step-by-step."

"The most challenging thing is to get all these buttons, and where to go next, and what to do," said Johnson. "I really don't know anything about a computer."

Times have changed considerably since Dorothy Johnson was a child.

Back in that day, sending letters was the primary form of communication.

"I was raised during the Great Depression," said Johnson. "They cut out all things like that in school. We didn't have typing, but I've pretty much learned how to type now. I'm slow, but it's coming."

With five great-grandchildren, Johnson says she enjoys receiving e-mails and photos of them on a daily basis.

Johnson's computer training was provided by CARES (Community Aging and Retirement Services), which is part of the Area Agency on Aging.

For more information, visit Laurie at http://www.ageinplacetech.com/ or The Aging in Place Technology Department at http://www.cs4seniors.com/