OPINION
My concern is the sad lack of knowledge and trust concerning internet among the elderly. A friend found a queue of pensioners waiting for the bank to open, most of whom could have attended to their needs online.
I joined SeniorNet Tūrangi as a complete novice when I was nearly 70 years old. In those days we learned how to switch on and off. Doing that several times was fun and getting it right was rewarding.
From that start came how to use word processing or writing something. Then how to recognise mistakes and correct them. It became easier the more we tried.
From these beginnings, my kind friend had given me his old computer, which I practised on for about half an hour daily at home, looking forward to the next SeniorNet meeting, to learn more and get answers to questions about where I was making mistakes.
Gradually, my confidence grew. We were shown all about going online, which is how to use the internet. Safety is the key to this. There are so many ways to prevent robbers from stealing your safe items stored in your computer. Now I can use internet banking securely.
