Explain the advantages of using a computer to an older adult. Place her hands on the keyboard and have her type a letter, play a game of bingo or use the calculator. Show her how to use a mouse to navigate between websites with articles she may be interested in reading, such as cooking, medical or travel.
Set up an email account for your older friend or relative. Show him how to open the email to read and send a reply. Send him short emails on a regular basis to get him used to the email process and give him a reason to look at his email daily.
Play a side show of family photographs from a recent event to entice the older individual to use the computer. Teach her how to open a picture attachment embedded in an email, save it on her computer or forward it to friends. Describe the printing process for photographs and print a couple of computer pictures to teach her how she can do it herself.
Play a DVD of his favorite movie on the computer. Show him how he can download and play favorite movies from his own childhood from different sites. Assist him in learning how to accessing sports news, games and playbacks online.