Becoming an online society?

All this on line activity will be beneficial for older people when they are unable to get about outside so easily. They will still be able to shop, they will have contact with the outside world via the delivery people who knock at the door, they can keep in touch with family and friends who are on line and not feel so isolated, remain in control of their banking by doing it on line. Without it they might loose their full independence
when they become frail and unable to mobilize in the outside world.

I only embraced it in my 70's and it has totally enhanced my life and saved my sanity at times. It is certainly the way to go for older people.

I like Click and Collect, but so annoying that some of the shops have started charging even for that.

Worrying thought though, that town centres might become ghost towns. Where will we go for a mooch?

I'm definitely another one who embraced technology whole heartedly. Limited mobility can make shopping especially as busy times of the year a nightmare, now I can do it all online. We too are on first name terms with our courier and his Dad before him .

My only concern is if this could make actual physical social interaction unnecessary or difficult in 50 years time. I'll let you know if I'm still around

Since I retired I use the Internet much more. I no longer have a car so do most of my shopping on line . I am moving house in a few weeks so will be off line for possibly a few weeks, not happy about that

I do wonder sometimes if our bottoms will, over time, evolve into the shape of a sofa.

I was thinking just that Candle Will we end up like the the humans on Wall:E ?

Mine already is candlefran

I hope more people will embrace technology to make their lives easier. One development I would like to see is more friendship sites like this one.

I rarely get the opportunity to speak with other people, especially those of my own age and interests. Gransnet is a lifeline to me. While my OH has his nose in a book or watches tv I am sharing in the lives of another community.

We on Gransnet are the lucky ones. I volunteer for a charity that supports people with their technology but am aware, however hard I try, that some will try but not succeed and give up. Some of my customers are isolated, carers for their spouses, unable to get out and access services. I see them as being disenfranchised. I'm angry that the equipment designers, service providers and programmers have no idea how to make the technology that we are using here, accessible to everyone. Network providers should not just provide a data connection and a router but a complete set-up, including a secure tablet that just works with plenty of support too. Oh well - rant over!

Anniebach, while temporarily without broadband I'd recommend getting a pay as you go dongle from Vodafone. It's like a large memory stick you plug into the PC or laptop. It's not up to streaming tv or skype but ok for emails, radio and GN. £10 at Argos

I can see all the benefits of this technology but I do worry that a lot of people will become isolated from normal human contact. The world of the Internet is not a real one and for some people it becomes their mainstay, maybe I'm just old fashioned though.

I would love to get out
and interact with people more but it isn't possible much of the time.
I do talk to family and friends on the phone but even that is sometimes difficult as my H has paranoia as one of his symptoms, so will stand at my shoulder or talk at me whilst I am on the phone.
To disappear in to the bathroom with my small tablet or when in bed is my chance to e-mail and "chat" and unload or unwind.
That is one of the benefits of technology for me and millions of other isolated people. Don't knock it until you have tried it.

Annsixty
you are quite right, it's a life saver for so many people

I really dont know how I would manage if I didnt have the internet, due to ill health I have no choice but to do all my shopping and comunicate with the outside world on my computer, its my life line!

I've recently retired and moved house. I don't know where I'd be without being able to contact friends and family and I'm so grateful for sites like this. I do use Facebook but I find it irritating, so often it feels like a way for some to boast and I've collected a strange mix of folk so that I don't put much up because I'm inhibited about displaying my life online!

I'm not sure about the way everyday face to face contact is diminishing though. It's superficially friendly where we are now, everyone says hello and shop assistants will chat and that is a life saver some days. Does anyone watch the tv series Humans? In its second run now. It's about a future filled with humanoid robots. The actors portray very well how this might seem and it's a chilling thought that carers might well be robots in future as I believe is already happening in Japan.

I don't know why I'm so horrified by the thought, after all I do lots of shopping (not groceries) online and I often choose the self service tills in supermarkets. Online appears to save time and personal interactions can be frustrating but maybe those things are unimportant in the larger scheme of things. I think I've just frightened myself! Today I'm going to phone a friend too .

I love my technology and I think it will be more of a boon as I get older.

But, one of my brothers is a technophobe and has no interest in even having a computer never mind using one! I fear he will be left isolated as time goes and, already, I feel he misses out on using online shopping or for his utilities. He has no chance to go paperless and reduce his bills for instance.

We all worry about older people who don't embrace modern technology, but hasn't it always been the case? Those without will die off and it will be an everyday part of life, just as the car, phone, television etc. became.

I was asked a few days ago, in a very patronising manner, by a very young shop assistant if I 'go online' ....I suddenly had an almost overpowering urge to bop the ageist little cow her on the nose.

I restrained myself - just.

When I took something back to M & S because it didn't fit, the very young assistant said I could order another one online, if I had someone at home who could help me do it. Fortunately I was in a very good mood that day and refrained from telling her that I was using a computer before she was born. No doubt she thought she was helping me