Age concern group Hornsey Vale

I picked up a leaflet at my local library that Age Concern has regular meetings on Tuesday mornings. There was a telephone number, but I thought before I make my visit too official, I just go and have a look.

The woman at the reception was very friendly and introduced me to the group of older people with: "This is Marianne, she studies for a PhD and she would like to ask you some questions about the Internet"

There were about 8 people in the room - 7 women, 1 man – there was mix of ethnic backgrounds, age ranged from over 65 to 80 (am guessing here). Only one woman (around 66 years) uses the Internet. She used to work in testing software programs and that's why she started using the Internet already in 1995. She also organises India volunteering trips. For this she uses email, but only for communication. She mentioned how people sometimes miss out because they don't have an email address. She has just installed Skype and has already tried out the "online typing" with a friend in Canada. The other people in the room nuttered how they really don't need the Internet. There would be no reason - no point, don't need it, we have telephone. They don't have relatives far away, so they don't need to send pictures over the net. And you don't have to learn how to use the Internet. (I'm wondering if there is a notion of as long as the 'authority is not telling us to do so, we don't need to it' - how would it be if the government 'forces' people to go online? Like the digital switch over?)

One woman briefly explained how she tried to learn, but then didn't know what to do on the Internet. I mentioned things such as checking opening hours, telephone numbers - others liked the idea. The discussion changed (initiated by one of the women) to owning a mobile phone and using it. Most had a mobile because everybody expects you to have one and when something happens everybody expects you to call from your mobile. The man told me how he didn't have a phone for the last 65 years, and he lived happily using only the phone boxes.