Have you ever tried explaining social media to your grandparents? If you have, you probably have a funny story to tell – am I right? We have a soft spot for any stories that combine social media and senior citizens and we are about to have plenty stories to tell! The Storyteller Agency is partnering with Somerby, a local assisted living facility in Santa Rosa Beach, FL, to help its residents learn how to use social media to communicate and stay in touch with family and friends. Is your heart swelling up yet? We’re going to talk about the benefits of social media for our senior citizens and how you can get involved with our project, Golden Social.
Benefits of Social Media for the Elderly
Nurturing Family Bonds
This one is especially true for seniors who are living in assisted living communities and may be experiencing distance from close family members for the first time. Thanks to social media, loved ones are one click away from a brightened day. The ability for seniors to stay connected with family members through social media makes for a healthier mind and spirit and nurtures the family bond that could otherwise be challenged due to distance or other constraints. No one loves your child’s back to school pictures more than grandma!
Reconnecting with Old Friends or Family Members
socialtoaster.com
Human connection is worth its weight in gold for our senior citizens and if there’s one thing that social media is good for it is making connections – right? Imagine your grandpa’s surprise when he learns his way around the social media world and connects with an old high school pal or long lost cousin and is able to reconnect and take a walk down memory lane – did your heart just tighten up a little? Not only is it heart-warming, but recalling old memories works wonders for an elder’s brain health.
Easy Access to News and Brain-Stimulating Online Reading
Keeping the brain active is extremely important to the overall health of our seniors and social media provides an outlet for easy online reading, staying up to date on world news, and even online games that stimulate the brain. Showing our seniors how to “follow” certain pages on Facebook is a great start to providing them with plenty of online reading that they won’t have to go searching for. Daily health tips, following the pages of a favorite literary figure, politician or sports team – this information can all be found in one place with a social media account. Once a social media account is personalized to their own interests, they will have easy access to a plethora of good reading on a daily basis.
The Golden Social Project
thestorytelleragency.com
The Storyteller Agency is excited to be embarking on the Golden Social Project with the residents of Somerby at Santa Rosa Beach. We will be setting up workshops each month to go over social media tips and provide personal assistance to the seniors in this assisted living community and we expect this project to provide a mutually beneficial experience for everyone involved. Do you want to make a difference in the life of someone’s grandma or grandpa? We encourage other businesses in our community to join us and donate time to our project. Join the Golden Social Project, make a difference, and #tellgreatstories of your own.
Do you want to get involved with the Golden Social Project? Contact The Storyteller Agency for more information on how you can lend an hour of your time each month to helping the senior residents of Somerby learn the ropes of the social media world and stay connected with their loved ones.
