Nice. A client of mine did the same recently, and while I initially had doubts (since they make TVs with very large screen sizes but apparently not “monitors”), it worked really well for her and now I’m actually jealous. Hell, even for people who don’t need the larger fonts, a giant monitor gives you more places to position more windows. It wasn’t that expensive either.

I already have huge vision issues at 48. Hooked a computer up to a 50″ TV and added a wireless keyboard. Made the text larger and increased my working space, plus allows me to do tutoring sessions for elder friends that are struggling to learn and do better from personal instruction. I take my laptop to the community room by the leasing office and do classes there for anyone that wants to drop by. The neighbors bring their tech toys with them to learn hands on how to do what they want to do with those toys (Skype family, send photos, read books, etc). Those that have interest in more complex tech knowledge learn how to use the toys they have to get that too.

If it weren’t for the Internet, I’d have no social life. Because of the Internet, I have friends all over the world, and am careful not to open emails from those I don’t do business with or don’t know. Ads for various medications are frequently in my ‘junk’ or Spam’ email boxes, and normally will delete all. Occasionally a legit email will land in the Spam box, yet not often. Choice of email provider is also important, some has better filtering than others, and some also has online storage of items as an extra.

Plus I have either EAM or EIS, depending on computer, and this has built in Surf Protection, as well as real time Malware protection, something that no one can go w/out. Security is supposed to enhance the Internet experience, not hamper it. While ‘free’ solutions are certainly better than nothing, or even the built in security, many comes with a price, PUP’s & popups. Some of which can render a computer unbootable (optimizing utilities).

EAM & EIS offers none of this, nor are any PUP’s included in it’s package, just what’s needed for the install. Making life easier for all, especially seniors who may not understand how to run a AV/IS package, everything is fairly much automated, including new releases.

So being disabled & on the computer 8-12 hours per day, feel confident that I’m in safe hands with Emsisoft. With a full 30 day free trial, what’s there to lose in giving the brand a shot? Once used, many will see for themselves that it’s great protection at a fair price, with an added benefit of renewals dropping in price over time, up to 60% total, as long as the license is constantly in use. Plus Emsisoft occasionally offers killer promos, like two for the price of one deals.

Cat

Hence my subdued suggestion: when you need an article about senior citizens (or children, or colored, or red-haired, or any other artificial human category you may think of), have one of them write it: they are not all idiots and as insiders they will really know the matter.

One last thing: somewhere above I read the expression “the benefits of social media”. Would you mind to elaborate?

Sorry, these are poor and impractical substitutes. While a dynamic spot-magnifier (that senses when a dialog appears and magnifies only that dialog, or a user-specified set of dialogs, without distorting or disappearing big chunks of the rest of the screen) would be a nearly ideal fix, to my knowledge it doesn’t exist yet. Inbuilt magnifiers are extraordinarily clumsy, as they assume it’s practical to pause for several seconds to position it, read the text, then move it away or turn it off. It’s faster to squint and suffer.

Many of my clients (users) are also seniors or nearly seniors, but they’re mostly still working, already decently versed in computing, and have a need to work efficiently — they do much more than check email and Facebook. Their needs are trivialized by dismissive responses like “learn to increase the font size.”

Use an inbuilt magnifying glass mark99k, or download one … learn how to use it, or go to Google settings and increase the font size on your screen.

I recently started creating custom versions of some of the simpler dialogs in Microsoft Word, using font sizes of 12 to 18 points and eliminating the pointless separation of functions on different tabs. It’s a lot of work, but has been well received by users, and not just elderly ones.

Thanks for a great article!!
Barb