Let Grandma Facebook

Three years ago at this time Facebook had 12 million users. At the beginning of 2009 it had 150 million users. As we hit December of 2009 Facebook has 300 million users.  The fastest growing demographic is users over 35.

I say put grandma and grandpa on Facebook.  We need to teach them the skills and create applications for ease of use. At first they might not understand what a “Wall” might be and perplexed if someone asks them to accept chickens for their farm.  But the one thing Facebook can do for seniors is allow them to socialize.  There is nothing more important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle than continuing to socialize.  Too many of our wards, our parents, aunts and uncles become isolated by physical immobility and the loss of friends to death and the movement of families from home communities.

The lack of socialization can slowly give way to earlier onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Studies have shown that the healthiest seniors are those that continue to lead busy and interacted lives.  It’s not on Facebook yet but we can create social groups built around military units or ships or graduating nursing classes from the 40’s and 50’s.

A welcome expenditure is to buy your mom a laptop and set her up on Facebook, Also if the grandkids accept her as a friend then maybe they will be less likely to post compromising pictures of themselves that they would regret later.