Each year, more and more seniors are jumping on social media. According to the Pew Research Group, 34 percent of American seniors 65 or older use at least one social media platform, and the percentage continues to rise each year.
The same poll found that Facebook is the most popular social media platform for seniors. Almost half of the seniors polled said they use Facebook as their primary source of social media. Social media platforms like Facebook can enrich seniors’ lives and have positive effects on their health.
Table of Contents
Stay connected with friends and family
With 75 percent of Americans on social media, chances are good you’ll find family members and friends to connect with. Over time, people move away and their social connections fray. With social media, seniors can stay connected and maintain strong relationships.
Grandkids, in particular, rely on social media for their social interactions. Seniors who are grandparents can use social media to keep up with their Millennial and Gen Z grandkids.
Join a community of fellow seniors
Social media platforms, especially Facebook, are full of groups and communities of people with similar interests. Seniors who join a Facebook group like this can form new friendships, explore new activities, and expand their social horizons.
Joining an online community, such as one for surviving spouses, can help fight depression and loneliness. Aging adults often feel lonely, but social media can help them stay engaged with others, even without leaving home.
Follow finance and health gurus
Social media platforms have thousands of finance and health gurus who share their knowledge with their followers. These gurus can be helpful, because aging and retirement bring all kinds of new health and financial situations. Seniors can learn about insurance, Social Security, investing, budgeting, and even connect with others who share similar medical conditions.
Find discounts and coupons
Millions of businesses use social media to market and advertise sales and promotions. Because of these platforms’ ability to target a specific group of people, seniors’ social media platforms often showcase discounts and coupons for items and services they already use or need.
Most social media platforms, if not all of them, have a feature to save posts and links for later use. Seniors can use this feature to store discounts and coupons for the items and services they want to purchase later. If there is ever an advertisement for a discount or promotion that isn’t wanted, those are easily hidden.
Grow a side business
Often, seniors decide to start up a side business in retirement. Whether it’s just for fun or to gain cash flow, social media can help grow a side business. Seniors can use social media to promote their business to get new customers.
It’s nearly impossible to grow a business without a social media presence. Setting up a business profile can help your business get off the ground.
Conclusion
While social media offers several benefits for seniors, seniors should be vigilant for scams and hackers. Scammers tend to target the senior population, especially on social media, because they see them as an easy target. Exercise caution before you click a link or visit a strange website. Avoid links sent from people you don’t know and block the sender. If seniors follow these tips, they can have a fun, entertaining, and educational experience with social media.
