If you have elderly loved ones that live on their own or are in an assisted living facility and want to be able to use the Internet more—be it for entertainment, socialization, or checking the new—they might need a little help with learning how to use their devices and log onto the Internet to do what they want. So if you feel like you should be offering this service to an older person that you know, here are three ways to make using the Internet easier for your elderly loved ones. 

Get Them A Digital Assistant

For many elderly people, using devices in general can be hard. Not only can it be hard for them to see on the small screens, but it can be hard for them to know how to use the device to do what they want. One way to address this is to get them a digital assistant that can do this heavy lifting for them. 

By using a digital assistant, your loved one can simply speak to their smart device and ask it something or tell it what they want to do. Their device can then answer them or take the action that they requested. This allows them to get the end result that they wanted without having to actually use a device and click buttons themselves. As long as you’ve taught them how to use the device, there should be no issues. 

Simplify Things

For the times when your elderly loved one wants to use their device, something that you can do to make this easier on them is to simplify what the device has on it so that they’re not trying to wade through app after app to find what they need.

In general, older people don’t use more than five or ten apps. So if you can streamline their phone or other device and only keep the apps that they actually will need or will use, their time spent on their device can be much more productive for them. 

Give Them Pointers For Staying Safe

Sadly, the Internet can be a very unsafe place, especially for older people who may not know what to look out for and how to keep themselves safe. But since you know these things, you can help teach them how to safely use the Internet.

As part of this, you’ll want to make sure that their devices have antivirus software to better protect them. You should also talk to them about online scams that they should be aware of, like phishing emails, online dating scams, and more. 

If you want your elderly loved ones to have a safe and productive time when using the Internet, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know how to set this experience up for them.