So Baby Boomer: Life Tips

Our Life on Facebook and Google+

Most of us try to live our lives with far too little information about how life really works.

If you think about it, everything in life… from kitchen gadgets to the tools we use, come with very detailed instructions.  Pages of them.  But the thing that matters most to us, life itself, comes with no instructions.  We have to discover it ourselves!

This is true when we begin to participate in online social networks like Facebook , Twitter and Google+.   We don't know what we don't know and that can cause us and our online friends trouble when we push a wrong button or send a special message to the wrong people.

So what can people over 50 do well on these social networks?

Facebook has more than 500 million users around the world.  That means one out of every 14 people on Earth use Facebook.  Assuming age demographics break down more or less uniformly across all countries, there are approximately 76 million users who are 50 or older on Facebook.  If we all gathered together, those of us in Facebook's 50+ population would form the 17th largest country in the world.  That physical gathering will never happen but it doesn't have to because we can all gather online at Facebook.com with just a few clicks of a mouse. 

Google has responded to the lively interest in social networking with one of its own called Google+ (also known as "Google Plus" or even just "g+")---and Google+ is quickly becoming a serious alternative for those looking for a new environment to play in.  An estimated 30 million or so users joined in just it first month of operation.   Google has figured out a way to integrate the network with all of its major products, which becomes evident the minute you sign up for the service.  Google+ ties everything together right at the heart of Google.

You don't have to be new to these social networks to read the books below.  These books offer both the new and experienced user insights as to how these social networks operate and how they differ from each other.  The purpose of these books is to allow you to get past the "weirdness" of these networks along with any concerns you may have with either.

You know why you want to participate in one or more social networks: to keep in touch, share your life, make connections, learn new things, make a difference and have fun.

 Jesse Stay: Google+ For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers))

 Paul McFedries: The Facebook Guide for People Over 50

Safety by Smartphone

By Guest Author Meggin Sanez of Best Black Dating Sites

A far cry from the times in which you grew up, you find yourself now living in a world where it seems that life revolves around our phones.  Modern technology has worked its way into our day-to-day and delivers us an unparalleled convenience that we can’t imagine having ever gone without.  Yet as we reap the benefits of such convenience, we don’t always take full advantage of the applications that are available to us on our mobile devices.  Also considering the fact that the world is much more dangerous than it used to be, using technology to the fullest is something to really think about…especially when it comes to the safety of you and your loved ones.

Whether you’ve made the switch to a smartphone or not, it is most certain that someone of importance in your life has.  Therefore the article, “5 Cheap Safety Apps Every Woman Should Download” is a must read for you and any woman you know who is connected and on the go.   In this beneficial piece you will discover information on some of the best smartphone applications created to make your life and those you love safer.  ZoomSafer, Safety Button, Net Safety, SafetyNet Mobile, and cab4me each provide the user with unique features such as emergency contact alerts, alarms sent to authorities and ambulances in case of trouble, and tips to remain up to date on issues regarding privacy, safety, and security.  To learn more about how you can rest assured in a world where you can never be too safe, be sure to check out and pass along.  

When it comes to family events and gatherings, sometimes you find yourself frustrated because everyone seems to be more fixated on their phones than actually spending quality time with one another.  Well the next time the kids are home from college or your daughter is busy texting at dinner, instead of yelling at them to put the phones away you might actually find yourself asking your loved ones to keep the phones on the table. 

By downloading a few inexpensive apps, your family is provided with safety and you are provided with an unshakable peace of mind.  Protecting your family has always been your number one priority…so with the technology available to us in this modern day, it is now easy to take even further steps to make sure that everyone you love is safe.

Seven Tech-Friendly Tips for Boomers

By Guest Author Kate Forgach

The older I get, the more I appreciate the body of my youth. As a Baby Boomer dealing with hearing loss (too much rock music), memory loss (not enough Gingko), and unbending knees (too much biking), I appreciate every bit of senior assistance.  

That gratitude extends to manufacturers developing products tailored for those with reduced capacity or not familiar with our rapidly changing tech world.  While some of the following examples weren't originally designed with America's elders in mind, they still offer great benefits to those who don't want to get totally left behind.

Here are seven changes age hath wrought in today's technological world.

1. Dumb Phones
I was bereft when my ancient Razr phone disappeared as it was so easy to use and is no longer available. In looking for a replacement, I found most phones have tiny black buttons and keyboards designed more for texting and playing online than for making calls. Some manufacturers are listening to these concerns, however, and creating phones specifically for my brethren. According to cnet.com reviews, the Doro PhoneEasy series offers basic, easy-to-use phones with big numerals, a bright screen and few unneeded extras.

2. Intelligent Phones
Intel is working on a phone for those who have memory problems. Using caller ID tech, it'll display a photo of the person calling, the user's relationship to the caller, and information about their last conversation. It would be even more helpful if Intel would create a human-implant screen that would jog my memory upon meeting people I "know."

3. Nana Technology
Companies like Accenture and Intel have teamed up with universities and other researchers in the development of gadgets that make life easier. These include smart walkers users can retrieve by remote control; pillboxes that remind you to take your pills; and mailboxes that let you know when mail has arrived.

4. Tablet Computers
I'd give my AARP membership for an iPad. The screen is a joy, the touchpad keyboard is nice and big, and, most importantly, it's entirely intuitive.  Apple's security technology also nearly eliminates spyware and viruses, which are a nightmare to eradicate.

In general, touchscreens are easier for seniors to use. It took me just 30 minutes to get an elderly friend up and running on her new Motorola Xoom tablet.  Unable to type anymore due to arthritis, the light touch required for these screens opened a whole new world. We loaded a few useful apps, made Google her home page, set up a gmail account and she was off.

5. E-readers
Few books are printed in large type anymore, but e-readers can make every book easy to read. The Kindle, for example, allows users to boost the font size with a touch of a button and the resolution improves with every release. The Barnes & Noble NOOK boasts a full-color display that makes reading even easier.

6. Durable Tech Cases
Otterbox. has cornered the market on hardcore cases for phones, e-readers, laptops and just about everything else that can be dropped, smashed or end up in water. They also have a stellar reputation for quality customer service, which means seniors don't have to deal with smarmy, unhelpful responders.

7. Online Shopping
Shopping the e-commerce way is so much faster and easier for those facing diminished capacities. Plus, the selections are much larger, it's often also possible to find better prices, and free shipping codes bring your purchase directly to the door without a delivery fee. Isn't technology wonderful?

Kate Forgach is a senior-consumer expert for Kinoli Inc.. She has written about senior issues for 11 years as a Cooperative Extension specialist and for a wide variety of newspapers and magazines. She has been featured in USA Today, Detroit News, New Orleans Times-Picayune, New Yorker magazine, "ABC World News," NBC's "TODAY" show and many other media outlets.

Technology Helps to Locate Wandering People

Boomer caretakers caught in the sandwich generation need all the help they can get to keep tabs on wandering parents and grandchildren.

Up to 60 percent of all Alzheimer’s sufferers at some point will wander away from caregivers. Disorientation and confusion can cause serious problems, with a significant risk for injury. The key for helping lost individuals is to find them quickly before they enter dangerous situations.

Two individuals named Jim Nalley and Chris Buehlar have created a device which helps caregivers and law enforcement to quickly find lost individuals.

The idea for the device came to Mr. Nalley while he was watching the evening news. “I heard a truly tragic story about a young woman who had gone missing. She had a cell phone, but was unable to call for assistance. ‘I thought to myself, why can’t we better use technology to help locate people who can’t help themselves.’”

Mr. Nalley and Mr. Buehlar had each spent more than 20 years in the telecom industry and understood that technology could find the location of a device using a wireless network even if the person wearing the device could not initiate a call. The team founded EmFinders, and set about developing a device that wasn’t dependent on cell technology.

They worked closely with E-9-1-1 dispatchers and law enforcement to develop a nationwide system that would be affordable and reliable. The system would need to work with existing systems in order for it to be feasible for usage by departments with limited budgets. 

After receiving investment from True Position Inc. in late 2009, the company was able to move forward in developing its device. After considerable development and testing, the team built the EmSeeQ, a wearable watch-like device that provides location-based information about the wearer.

Today, the EmSeeQ helps law enforcement throughout the country to quickly find those individuals who are prone to wandering, such as those afflicted by Alzheimer’s or autism.

Here is a real-life story about the EmSeeQ. An older gentleman left his home simply to move his car from the garage to the street. He did not return to the house, so his wife called the local police department. He was found a mile away, and was walking aimlessly along the road. Richard was found so quickly because he was wearing the EmSeeQ. Working in conjunction with law enforcement, the EmSeeQ was activated, allowing 9-1-1 dispatch to immediately see Richard’s location. He was quickly found and safely returned to his wife.

“We built the EmSeeQ to give people a dignified way to stay safe and give caregivers some extra peace of mind,” said Mr. Nalley.

Grandkids and Grandparents are Connecting

It's a perfect storm of demographics and technology.  As a group, grandparents and grandchildren have plenty in common.  They have free time, disposable income for gadgets and gizmos, and a keen interest in staying in touch with people.

As for technology, smartphones, tablet computers and digital cameras have made sharing fun instead of frustrating.  And the affordability and speed of broadband Internet have made possible activities like video-chatting and streaming home movies.

The new era is in stark contrast to what took place in recent decades.

"When the baby boomers went to college and moved away, we lost an entire generation of connection between grandparents and grandchildren.  They saw each other once or twice a year, and there was a real disconnect," says Andrew Carle, professor and director of the Program in Senior Housing Administration at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

"Now with technology, we are regenerating those bonds.  People say technology is so impersonal, but we are watching it being used to reconnect one of the most personal and important relationships of the species."

Prof. Carle adds, "I watch my own kids talking to their grandparents 1,000 miles away, and I love it," he says. "They may take it for granted, but I only saw my grandfather once a year. Nothing will replace a hug, but this is as close as it gets."

Granted, on the surface, many of the messages that fly back and forth are as trivial as the messages that kids send to one another. But trivial communication are often the building blocks of many close relationships.

Over the past few years, Facebook has morphed from a closed site for college students to an online playground where barriers of age, distance, background and technological expertise have been leveled.  It has become a rare space where generations can meet on neutral turf to share and interact.  Currently, users must be 13 years old to open a Facebook account, resulting in the young and old tiptoeing into the space at the same time.

Mary Madden, senior research specialist with the Pew Research Center, says: "Seniors who have recently retired, teens and young adults just beginning their lives are all going through very significant changes.  And this social networking and communicating can be a very powerful force in helping them move forward."

She also says that grandparents can play a unique role on Facebook.  Plenty of kids block or limit the access their parents have, but they give free rein to the extended family—enabling grandparents to perform duties of light surveillance.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, May 9, 2011

Where were you in 1969?

In many ways, the "culture wars" of the twenty-first century began in the sixties.  Those 1960s were symbolic of change, creativity, experimentation and the perseverance of human spirit.  The final year of the sixties decade was a vastly influential year covering politics, sports, civil rights, music, technology and much more.

Personally, while living in the Metro Seattle Area in 1969, I looked up into the sky and thought I saw a Boeing 707 plane flying very low.  After awhile, I realized what I saw was the maiden flight of the Boeing 747 high in the sky.  In January 1969, my wife and I had purchased our first house overlooking Lake Sammamish and the Cascade Mountains and on August 18th, 1969 our son John Robert Agno was born in a small hospital in Bellevue, WA.

Here are some of the events that happened in 1969 that you may remember:

Jan 12 - Joe Namath and the New York Jets won Super Bowl III

Jan 20 - Richard Nixon is inaugurated president of the United States

Jan 30 - The Beatles give their final live performance in London

Feb 9 - The Boeing 747 takes its maiden flight

Mar 1 - Mickey Mantle retires from baseball

Mar 3 - The launch of Apollo 9

Mar 30 - Detroit police engage in a gun battle with members of the group New Republic of Africa

Apr 9 - Harvard Student Strike

May 18 - Apollo 10 launches

May 25 - Midnight Cowboy premieres in New York City

June 22 - Cuyahoga River catches on fire

June 11 - True Grit with John Wayne premieres

July 18 - Mary Jo Kopechne perishes in Chappaquiddick incident

July 20 - Man walks on the moon

August 8 - "Helter Skelter": Manson Family murders at the home of Sharon Tate & Roman Polanski

August 15 - Woodstock Music and Art Fair in White Lake, NY

August 20 - Arlo Guthrie Alice's Restaurant premieres

Sept 6 - Lieutenant William Calley formally charged for his role in the My Lai massacre

Sept 8 - Police raid the Black Panther breakfast in Watts, CA

Sept 23 - Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid hits screens in limited release

Sept 26 - The Brady Bunch debuts on ABC

Oct 11 - The Zodiac Killer murders San Francisco taxi driver Paul Stine

Oct 16 - Mets defeat the Orioles to win the World Series

Oct 29 -Computer networks, in any real sense, didn't exist until the ARPANET was built starting in 1969.  However, the first email message via the ARPANET network (the forerunner of the Internet) was sent by Ray Tomlinson, an old high school friend of mine, in late 1971.

Nov 10 - Sesame Street debuts on National Educational Television Network

Nov 19 - Apollo 12 lands on the moon's Ocean of Storms

Dec 4 - Black Panther Party leaders Fred Hampton & Mark Clark are killed during raid by Chicago Police

Dec 24 - Curt Flood declares his intentions to challenge baseball's reserve clause and file as a free agent---(that free agent act kicked off the move toward high salaries for talented professional sports players and corporate executives that we recognize today)

Source:  Rob Kirkpatrick: 1969: The Year Everything Changed

Boomers Texting Children & Grandchildren

Connie Finn had never sent a text message from her cell phone before this year. Then she got a plea from her 26-year-old daughter. "She said she'd be in touch a lot more if I'd just get a texting plan," says the 54-year-old homemaker from Kirkland, Wash. "I was reluctant because of my bad spelling, but that was before I realized young people don't take time to spell correctly, either."

As growth in voice revenue slows, carriers are pushing data services including texting. Wireless operators see opportunity in people like Finn because relatively few people over 50 send texts. "It's a very attractive market for us," says Michael Woodward, the executive who oversees AT&T's (T) handset portfolio.

Just 42 percent of Americans aged 50 or older sent texts in any month last quarter, vs. 85 percent of 13- to 34-year-olds, according to researcher comScore.  "The beauty of texting is that somehow it's psychologically embedded in us to respond immediately," says Michael Shore, a 58-year-old real estate agent in Beverly Hills who began texting this year to reach clients. "It's almost like being asked a question face-to-face."

By 2025, 17.9 percent of Americans—63.9 million people—will be 65 or older, up from 12.7 percent in 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Texting is a big driver of the industry's profits. AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint Nextel (S) typically charge 20 cents per message sent or received, and offer unlimited plans for $10 to $20 a month. Yet each text costs carriers less than one-tenth of a cent to send, says Piper Jaffray (PJC) analyst Chris Larsen. "It's the highest-margin product the carriers sell," Larsen says. "If you've got that over-50 crowd not texting, that's all incremental revenue that carriers could realize."

For Finn, the Washington homemaker, another obstacle was the sometimes baffling abbreviations common in texting: OMG for "Oh my God," LOL for "Laughing out loud," and the more obscure ROTFL for "Rolling on the floor laughing" or LYKYAMY for "Love you, kiss you, already miss you." In the end, she chose not to be intimidated. "I just invented my own," she says. "My daughter doesn't always know what they mean, but now I am surprised by how much I enjoy it."

Source: Bloomberg BusinessWeek, December 13, 2010

 

80% Off - End of Year Sale. Subscribe to one year of daily coaching tips delivered to your desktop, laptop or smart phone for only $3.95.

More information at: www.CoachedtoSuccess.info

Boomers and the World of Unemployment

By Guest Author Saman Rahmanian, CEO and founder of Tischen

The Great Recession has dramatically changed the employment landscape in the U.S.  With thousands of talented boomers suddenly thrust into the unemployment line, the notion of job security has been forever altered in the eyes of the American workforce.

Many are wondering, “What good is company loyalty, if I still end up with a pink slip?” 

The idea of putting all of your eggs in one company’s basket may well be a thing of the past: the situation has given rise to one of the fastest-growing rates of self-employment and entrepreneurship our country has seen in recent history. 

Rather than depend on one company for their livelihood, enterprising workers are taking control of their own destiny, building successful freelance businesses by putting together a portfolio of clients and projects that can become a lucrative—and long-term—career path.

Computer Keyboards for Seniors

By Guest Author Michael Simms

As individuals grow older, the vision weakens and it becomes very difficult to see the numbers and letters on a standard sized keyboard.  With large print and large key computer keyboards, the ability to see the numbers and letters on the keyboard is enhanced allowing seniors to use a computer and its keyboard as if they had the best vision in the world.  There is no need to strain the eyes, which only results in headaches and neck pain.  In addition, seniors will be able to tell exactly what it is they are looking for from a comma and period to a colon and a semi-colon.

Many seniors can make a number of mistakes when typing a document or an email sent to family or friends.  These mistakes are made because of the weakening vision and strain due to the difficulty of seeing the keys.  They also run into difficulty hitting the proper key since the keys are so small and close together.  More often than not, the wrong number or letter is typed because the finger slips and hits the adjacent key.

Alternative Solutions

When purchasing a keyboard for a senior citizen, it is important that you find a keyboard with large print, larger keys, as well as minimal function keys.  A number of functional keys on a keyboard could confuse the elderly and, since they probably won’t need to use these function keys, there is no reason to purchase a keyboard with them.

Stick-On Labels

If the keys on the standard keyboard are okay in terms of size and the senior citizen is simply having trouble seeing the letters and numbers, then stick-on labels in larger size may be the solution. 

However, if stick-on labels are not acceptable, purchasing a brand-new computer keyboard is the answer.

Key-U-See Keyboard

This computer keyboard comes equipped with very large print and is one of the best available on today’s market.  Aside from large print, the Key-U-See keyboard can be purchased in a combination of colors as well as hot keys to the Internet and email.

VisionBoard Keyboard

With black on white letters or black on yellow, this one is perfect if you have trouble seeing the letters/numbers.  The keys on the keyboard are larger than the standard keyboard as well, making it perfect for those that have larger than average fingers.

Big Keys LX Large Button Keyboard

With larger keys and vivid color combinations, the Big Keys LX computer keyboard is perfect for senior citizens wanting to access the Internet or a computer program.  This keyboard is all about ease of use and simplicity with no extra function keys or hot keys to get in the way.

Regardless of the type of keyboard you are considering buying, the end result is the same – a computer experience that is much less stressful and much more enjoyable.

Michael Simms is a freelance writer for QwertyKeyboard.org, a website about all things related to qwerty keyboard such as the best wireless keyboards, the best ergonomic keyboards, etc.

Generation Gap: Gen Y and Boomers

These days, given how fast the world is changing, there's been a clear widening of the advice gap.

Eighty-two percent of those ages 18 to 29 (and 79% of those 30 to 74) believe there is "a generation gap" in America, according to a Pew Research Center poll last year. The gap was defined as "a major difference in the point of view of younger and older people today." That's up from 60% of Americans in a similar poll in 1979, and it's even higher than the 74% registered in a 1969 poll, taken at the height of the youth-rebellion movement. Back then, political and social issues created the gap between baby boomers and their parents.

Today's youth cite generational differences in "perspective," "work ethic" and "technology"—which helps explain their reservations about their elders' input.

Certainly, many of today's young adults are very close to their "helicopter parents"—whether they're texting them all day long or living in their basements.  But that doesn't mean they're seeking or embracing parental advice.

Baby Boomers need to catch ourselves before giving dated career advice. We may tell adult children to focus on writing a great résumé.....but to young ears, it sounds like a job tip from 1985.  Young people today are often better off networking on social media or creating a blog to display their talents, with videos and samples of their work.

Among tips from young adults for their advice-giving elders:

• Question your assumptions: What worked in your youth might have little relevance today.
• Offer suggestions, not pronouncements: Say 'you could' not 'you should.'
• Welcome a dialogue: Listen, don't lecture; you'll learn things and give better advice.
• Resist saying: 'When I was young…'
• Don't belittle technology: If you're critical of social media, young people may dismiss you as a dinosaur.
• Accept your limitations: The young understand the world today.  Sometimes, the best advice is: 'Trust your instincts.'

Source: The Wall Street Journal, September 1, 2010

Click for "10 Boomerang Kids Who Clashed With Their Parents”