Digital Skills that help make you Happy & Well

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I've long felt that seniors need more help to get fully connected with the digital world. I know many of my tribe are tech savvy and get a lot out of their 'devices'. But many others are fearful or just stubborn in their ways. I asked someone recently if they had tried out any of the free AI apps and was told with a shudder that he didn't want AI discovering anything about his life. He had been many years on a pc and had a smartphone, so I told him that 'they' knew all about him already, so he may as well have some fun!

Help to make you Happy & Well

Surrey University have a research project looking into healthy aging, to which I am a volunteer participant. It is a fascinating project with all of the faculties focussing on areas that help healthy aging. Loneliness and isolation is a worry and they are looking at ways to use virtual reality to provide an immersive emotional connections with remote family. Another project I've contributed to is ways to make Health Information easier to access, read and understand. 

I'm probably over simplifying things but what has come out of my participating in this project is that although your family genes and access to good health care contribute 40% towards our longevity. Our life style choices contributes 60% and that is an area that with help we can influence. If we can extend the Healthy Aging part of our lives and minimise the Un-Healthy Aging part, I think that has to be a worthwhile goal. 

The Model in Action

The model below is my take on what make me and think a lot of other people happy and in the process well. I don't want to go into a lot of detail, but will share a few insights from my life and how digital played a part in my healthy aging.

You retire and I think particularly for men, we suffer from an initial lack of purpose. Thanks to my contacts / connections I was able to run my training business for 10 years after retirement. Thanks to FaceTime / WhatsApp video I was able to remote coach people. It helped me have a purpose, to help people and to stay connected.

Keeping active is a massive boost to healthy aging, versus becoming a couch potato, developing chronic inflammation and becoming diseased. So keep moving all you oldies and here my cousin Jackie and her husband Frank introduced me to pickleball. I can and sometimes play two hours a day three to four times a week. I do all my bookings online and learn about the sport via YouTube and Facebook Groups. I have an Apple watch that ensure that in addition to pickleball I move and walk and sometimes exercise. 

My big learning after my wife died was learning mindfulness. I did an eight week course and it helped me to appreciate the wonderful life that I still had. How to be present in the NOW. For many years after my training I used the Calm app to maintain my mindfulness practice. I eventually got bored, lapsed but in February this year I downloaded the premium version of Insight Timer and it has really helped me to be present every day.

One huge help that I get through my family and close friends is LAUGHTER! Not taking life too seriously and having fun and laughter is the best medicine we can all have. Just catching up with family and friends each day via WhatsApp and Facebook always puts a smile on my face and powers me up with positivity to face each day. 

Food wonderful food and the great range of simple recipes on Tic Toc and Facebook. Yes, we try and ensure that we cook and eat healthy, avoiding highly  processed food. But it must be tasty and we will never become obsessive. Eating good tasty food stokes the engine but it must be fun!

Helping others is a wonderful way that we as seniors can still have a purpose to our lives and at the same time benefit others. Through Digital Skills 4 Seniors, I believe we can find ways to help others who may be struggling to survive in this digital world. I find this world amazing others find it isolating and threatening. 

Let us all do our bit to make a difference! Let us use digital to help seniors become Happy & Well!



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