Elderly say they like using the internet (From Ilkley Gazette)

Elderly say they like using the internet

3:17pm Tuesday 19th March 2013 in Local news

New online research by a charity for the elderly has showed that four out of five older people who use the internet in Yorkshire believe their lives have improved by being online.

Age UK found that more than one in five said that they feel closer to friends and family as a result and 41 per cent declared that they now cannot imagine life without the internet.

Carried out by YouGov on behalf of Age UK, the online poll also revealed just how the lives of web users aged 55-plus in Yorkshire had been transformed, with 48 per cent making savings online, one in three pursuing hobbies and one in four feeling they are more independent as a result of being online.

David Mortimer, Head of Digital Inclusion at Age UK, said: “The internet can make a huge difference to people’s lives. Whether it’s making savings, keeping in touch with family or looking up new hobbies, the internet is no longer a luxury but an essential tool.”