By Dr. Marion Somers, Ph. D., Ask Dr. Marion

QUESTION: Doctor Marion,How do I help my parents become computer savvy so they can stay connected with the grandchildren? Cora in Maryland, 56

ANSWER: Dear Cora,

Helping your parents become more computer savvy is one of the most valuable things you can do. Staying connected with the outside world is vital to a person's emotional well-being. Email is a powerful tool. It increases your parent's ability to stay in touch with children and grandchildren as well as other family and friends. Your parents can also learn how to surf the Internet to open their world.

But you can't just tell them how to do this one time and hope that they understand. Instructions for using the computer need to be clear and written out in a step-by-step manner using your parent's own words. It's also smart to go over the instructions while your parents are sitting at the keyboard so you're sure that they can navigate the computer when you aren't available.

©2006-2017 Elder Health Resources of America, Inc.

Additional AGIS Note:  Also be sure to educate your parents on the various scams and trick that are circulating to steal and defraud.  If you don't know what it is or who it came from, you might not want to click on it.