IT WAS wonderful to read the report, "IT-savvy 61-year-old was once a 'dinosaur'" (my paper, Oct 8). I congratulate Mr Dick Yip for winning the Active Agers InfoComm Champion Award.
With our sizeable population of seniors set to grow even bigger in the years to come, we should encourage elderly people to keep themselves busy by picking up IT knowledge and skills. Keeping abreast of the latest in technology means not remaining stagnant.
I know a friend who is 65 years old and who, even at his age, has recently registered for a Photoshop course to keep himself mentally active.
I admire his flexibility and resolve to learn new things in order to keep up with the times. A nimble mind contributes to physical well-being.
He said: "Senior citizens usually give all sorts of excuses for not wanting to learn new things.
"This mental handicap is worse than any physical handicap, as it may result in a deterioration of their brain cells, which in turn affects their health."
Elderly people should take advantage of basic IT courses organised by community centres, where they are taught to surf the Web and use e-mail to communicate with friends and loved ones, especially those living abroad.
With their newly-acquired IT skills, senior citizens will find that life has more to offer them in their golden years than just a mundane existence, with no purpose and meaning.
