The Internet influences the way we shop, how we communicate with each other, how we find answers to questions and much more. But for some time there have been concerns (担心) that the older people are being left behind because they are unable to use a computer.
However, this is changing and several charities and community groups now help older people to get online. Paul Robinson runs such charity, Seniors Online. Paul worked for an IT company before deciding to leave his well-paid job and start the charity. As he explains, "I used to spend a few hours a week helping some older people use the Internet at the local library and I could see the difference it made to their lives. It can be quite lonely for the elderly when their children move away to find work and start a family of their own. Learning how to use email and receive photographs of their children and grandchildren was a wonderful experience for them. And when I saw what a big influence it had on their lives, I left my job and set up Seniors Online. We run training courses so that older people can enjoy the same chances as us." away to find work and start a family of their own. Learning how to use email and receive photographs of their children and grandchildren was a wonderful experience for them. And when I saw what a big influence it had on their lives, I left my job and set up Seniors Online. We run training courses so that older people can enjoy the same chances as us. "
One of Paul's students is 89-year-old Betty, who had never used a computer in her life before she joined one of the classes. That was six months ago and Betty has now completed the course and received her "graduation" certificate (证书). "I joined a class so I could learn how to use email to keep in touch with members of my family," she says. "That's fantastic but the best thing of all is learning how to research my family history online. Using a computer is a bit scary (吓人的) to begin with because you think you'll do something terrible if you press the wrong key. But you soon learn that you can't really break anything—and the teachers are very patient. I think all people my age should do a course like this. "