Seniors living by themselves can communicate with family or friends across the world, thanks to the Internet and video conferencing technology. It’s called video chat or video conferencing, but it’s becoming more popular with seniors.
A 2010 study by Pew Research indicated 15% of American seniors have tried video calls. Video chat use has increased for all generations since then, but has helped seniors stay energized and younger with their family and friends.
This technology allows seniors living by themselves to participate in daily or weekly video conversations
with family and friends. Depression and isolation is a huge problem for many seniors living alone. The happiness and social experience seniors get from a video chat with family or friends has been tremendously positive according to recent reports.
Three items are required to have video chats at home: 1) a computer with a webcam, microphone, and speakers or headset or a laptop or tablet computer with a built-in camera, 2) a free video conference
software program such as Apple iChat, Google Hangout, Microsoft Skype, or Yahoo Messenger, and 3) broadband Internet capable of 1.5 MBS speeds or higher offered by your telephone or cable company. There is also a new product in testing called VideoCare with touch screen technology for seniors wanting a user friendly experience. It has good senior reviews, but not offered publicly yet, but likely available sometime next year.
These video chat programs are user friendly, but for first time users, I would suggest getting help from your children or grandchildren or a close friend, who are more computer savvy than the older generation. I’ve video chatted with my sister and friends for over five years with great success using a webcam, the Internet, and various free video services. It’s fun, lively, and social!
Bob Larson is a technologist and Marketing Director for 50 Plus. Contact Bob for more information on this
article at Bob’s Email.