Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

The tyranny of age and how to overcome it - and an appeal to the young

By Terry Dowdeswell
Whanganui Midweek·
13 Feb, 2023 03:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Mobile phones can make seniors mobile. Photo / 123rf

Mobile phones can make seniors mobile. Photo / 123rf

I have an important message for all seniors. The “mobile” in “mobile phones” now refers to how mobile it makes us, rather than how mobile the phones are.

Mobility decreases as we age. No matter how active we are, some things become more difficult, even impossible at times. Smartphones, laptops and other internet-capable devices allow us to find alternative methods of doing things. We can use them to do some of our walking for us. We can save time, save money, meet friends, plan holidays, in fact, just about anything at all, and all from the comfort of our own home.

However, many of us still struggle to take full advantage of the real and very useful benefits communication technology has to offer. From internet banking (in my view the safest way to bank when you know how) to visiting your doctor and keeping vital health records always with us, to video calls with family, there’s so much that can improve your life.

So, what’s stopping us? For many older people it is fear. There are many fears. For instance, the fear of being scammed, taken for a ride, or perhaps being abused on social media. The list is long; however, it hides a much bigger truth. There is in fact nothing much to fear.

The biggest fear is fear itself. And the way to overcome it is education.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Now, the thought of more education, yet again, can also spark fear in older people. This internet stuff seems so different to the way we are used to doing things and we don’t want to appear dumb. Well, have I got news for you! You are just as bright as you ever were, a little slower, like me perhaps, but just as bright.

With learning comes confidence and with confidence comes the realisation that, with this new technology, you can do almost anything you can dream of. And why not enjoy life? I’m picking that you’ve earned it.

SeniorNet Whanganui is staffed by seniors. We are all volunteers, and we teach you at your own pace, often one on one, always with respect.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Why not give us a call? Take up the challenge and learn to feel young again.

And an appeal to the young? Please, back up this message. Talk to your parents, grandparents too. Tell them I’m right. Encourage them to give SeniorNet a call. They’ll thank you for it.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Seabed mining project sparks alarm over impact on South Taranaki fisheries

07 Jul 03:57 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Multiple purchase offers for pilot academy

07 Jul 03:39 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Police seek sightings of car linked to missing person

06 Jul 11:50 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Seabed mining project sparks alarm over impact on South Taranaki fisheries

Seabed mining project sparks alarm over impact on South Taranaki fisheries

07 Jul 03:57 AM

Jamie Newell fears silt pollution will damage precious reef ecosystems.

Multiple purchase offers for pilot academy

Multiple purchase offers for pilot academy

07 Jul 03:39 AM
Police seek sightings of car linked to missing person

Police seek sightings of car linked to missing person

06 Jul 11:50 PM
How a spray painter is mastering conflict resolution with NZ Army

How a spray painter is mastering conflict resolution with NZ Army

06 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP