Seniors Learn 'How Tweet It Is'

Rockville senior citizens tapped into Twitter and learned how to express themselves—in 140 characters or less—during a workshop at the on Wednesday.

The workshop, called “Twitter for Seniors,” was led by Shannon Loomis, a public information specialist for the City of Rockville. Loomis guided participants through the social media site, helping them set up accounts, select people to follow and broadcast their first tweets.

Twitter is a great social network for seniors, Loomis said. It is like a “window into a virtual water cooler," she said.

“It’s really helpful in a lot of ways,” Loomis said. “A senior has the opportunity to get information from the city every day that is pertinent for that day.”

Rochelle Gomes, 68, said she attended the workshop because she wants to “keep up with the modern generation.” The retired federal government worker plans to use Twitter to keep in touch with her son and grandchildren.

“I cannot envision myself ever sending out tweets to the general public,” Gomes said. “I would just use it to look at subjects that I’m interested in.”

Many seniors sign up for social media workshops like “Twitter for Seniors” so they can exchange information with their families, Loomis said.

“A lot of seniors say they really want to connect with their grandchildren and families, and they’ve asked for family photos of the new grandchild and the response they get is ‘You have to go on Facebook,’” she said.

Different groups require unique methods of social media instruction. For seniors, Loomis prepares “cheat sheets” for workshop participants to consult while navigating social networks and provides examples that appeal to seniors, such as tweets about family members or animals.

Fran Sandridge, 69, works at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda. She said she enjoyed the class but was sometimes overwhelmed by the amount of information.

“I like to have a book that I can refer to,” Sandridge said. “The young people share lots of information. They teach each other. If we don’t have those young people around, we all go a little crazy.”

When it comes to social media, seniors are especially concerned about privacy, Loomis said. The workshop emphasized ways to use Twitter without giving too much information away, such as reading feeds exclusively and establishing privacy settings.

Although she appreciated the workshop, Gomes is still hesitant to peer into the “virtual water cooler.”

“I feel like I’m torn between wanting to keep up with it and not keep falling farther and farther behind modern technology,” Gomes said. “On the other hand, I’ve lived my whole life without this and I’ve managed just fine, so why do I really need it?”

Loomis encourages senior citizens to sign up for social media sites, explore the help section and “proceed, but proceed with caution.”

The Rockville Senior Center and the City of Rockville will host beginning and intermediate Facebook workshops next month.

Click here for more information about computer workshops and the city's other recreation opportunities for seniors.

To learn more about how to connect to the City of Rockville through social media, visit http://www.rockvillemd.gov/connections.

Follow Rockville Patch on Twitter @RockvillePatch.