Report: More seniors see Web as fountain of youth

From Anne McDermott
CNN Correspondent

(CNN) -- Hy Spikell loves his kids. Since they live all over the country, the Los Angeles man looked forward to their once-a-week phone calls. Such events took on special meaning for the 93-year-old man who lives in a complex for senior citizens.

But Spikell really became so excited when he was introduced to the Internet. Now he gets cards, jokes and e-mail from his kids every day, and he corresponds weekly with cousins, grandchildren and faraway friends -- people he might usually hear from only once or twice a year. No wonder Spikell likens the Internet to the invention of the light bulb.

And plenty of seniors agree with him; according to a new survey by Mediamark Research, Inc., U.S. adults aged 55 to 64 had the largest increase in Web surfers in the past six months, and more are expected to join them as the aging Baby Boomers go grayer.

	VIDEO
CNN's Anne McDermott talks with a 93-year-old man who embraces the new technology (June 1) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

As it stands now, older Web users are becoming nearly as common as younger folks are. This does not surprise one industry observer who noted that middle-aged folks go online the least because they're simply too busy making a living.

But not all older people are firing up their PCs. Another survey shows nearly 60 percent of folks aged 50 to 65 don't go online. And most of them, who have no Web access, just don't care. Some of their arguments are that cyberspace is too dangerous, too expensive and too confusing.

And it can be, perhaps, for those who don't know how to navigate it. But Spikell says if he can do it at age 93, then anybody can. And just down the hall from his room is his pal Jules Berlinsky. Berlinsky, 89, has taken it upon himself to teach his neighbors the ins and outs of computer access.

One problem he and Spikell have in common is rusty typing skills. No big deal, they say. All that means is the e-mail takes a little longer to get out, and instant messaging may not exactly be "instant" -- but they get the job done. And they get to "talk" to friends and family anytime they want to, which is what counts.