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Thursday,
July 20, 2000
Senior
Surfing
By MICHELLE
MALTAIS
Times Staff Writer
To some, the Internet is the playground
of tech-savvy teens and twentysomethings. But older users have connections
to this new technology too. From recreation to planning to family,
there are tons of sites catering to the 50-years-and-older crowd.
One of the touted benefits of the
"golden years" is having an abundance of free time. Several sites
can help you fill it.
You can find a number of sites with
information on travel, entertainment, health care and housing. They
include:
http://www.seniorgold.com
has, among other things, a tour finder to scout out tours within
a region or category and price range--think bird-watching in Antigua.
http://www.seniorwomen.com provides
links on aging and being active.
http://www.friendly4seniors.com
includes links to senior discounts.
http://www.seniorhousing.net
lets users answer a questionnaire about housing needs to determine
which type of housing or care may be most suitable. It also offers
detailed descriptions, color photos, floor plans, 360-degree virtual
tours and easy ways to communicate directly with on-site staff.
Also try:
http://www.americasguide.com.
http://www.eldersearch.com is
a search engine to locate elder-care services.
Legal issues
concerning Medicare, Social Security and long-term care are covered
at http://www.nolo .com/encyclopedia/oa_ency.html.
It includes links to an estate planning section as well.
http://www.senior.com
targets the 50-plus market.
http://www.myprimetime.com
also focuses on baby boomers with tools and suggestions for planning
for the future and playing in the meantime.
http://www.boomer-itis.org tells
you the real deal on what aches and pains to expect as the years
march on.
For those who have lost their mate,
http://www.fortnet.org/widownet
provides a large selection of Web resources on everything from finances
to support groups to picking out a memorial.
There are a number of sites dedicated
to connecting you with other folks. If you're looking for other
silver surfers to chat with, check out http://www.retire.net. It links up
mature adults from all over the world in search of pen pals.
Many seniors already have a relationship
with the Social Security Administration. The agency offers on its
site, http://www.seniors.gov,
retirement planners covering all kinds of insurance and housing
planners and employment, travel tips with currency calculators,
weather reports and preparation information geared toward senior
citizens.
And for seniors who want to continue
to work, http://www.seniorjobbank.org is a starting point.
One of the great things about growing
older, I hear, is getting to connect with younger relatives to share
your life experiences and pass on family traditions. Grandparents
can find topics of interest relating to their relationship with
grandchildren at http://www.igrandparents.com.
It covers things from imparting family values and traditions to
emotionally supporting children of interracial unions.
For a catch-all site, check out
http://www.grandmabetty.com/default.asp?gbigpsplash=1.
Granny gives you links to sites on things ranging from museums and
genealogy to government and sports. Another useful site is http://www.grandparentworld.com,
which offers family bonding ideas such as building a family profile.
Some seniors are returning to youth,
as parents again. Get support and rearing ideas at http://www.grandparentagain.com.
Then again, you'll probably be too busy chasing that 2-year-old
to log on anyway.
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