My 65 Year Old Grandpa Wants To Join Facebook

@Lance26 (956)
Philippines
December 9, 2010 1:33pm CST
Last time I started a discussion about grandpa's whine moments towards oil price hike. Just couple of hours ago he went into my room and asked "How long you've been in Facebook and Twitter?" I was busy then typing birthday message for a friend. Astonishment is the right word for atlast I heard him talking the first time other than oil prices, politics and the kinds. I replied with a smile "Around 3 years" Why a sudden changed in the morning topic? asked myself. "You must know Ivy Bean" he answered back. Now I was perplexed, don't have any idea who the girl is and where might this whole thing leads to. "No, I don't" I said. He paused for a while, probably sensing the truth in me or I just simply mean to cut the conversation. The next words he voiced just drove me crazy and wanted to LOL and ROFL but then again in due respect I did what the old man asked me to. "Create Facebook account for him" Sure I did and in his presence. I wrote in a piece of paper the username and password and handed it over him afterwards. But before he left he asked me If I could teach him to do this and that in Facebook and possibly lend him my Lappy once I finish my stuff. I know him he will never accept No for an answer. So the first thing I did when he walked out of the room was to check who the hell Ivy Bean is. And to my surprised she was just the World's Oldest Facebook User or even Twitter at the age of 104 years old. I realized, Grandpa after all has plenty of time to enjoy what we are enjoying and learn new things as long as he still can. He's just 65, life will never stop until you decide.
1 person likes this
18 responses
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
9 Dec 10
So what is wrong with your GF having a facebook account? 65 is the new 45 and leave him alone and let him live his life. You do not sound very kind to him? You are putting him down as if he is too old to learn anything new/ You could help him do more things with a computer. at least he wants to try. Do you know we have people over 80 years of age on Mylot? They still are alive and have a lot to offer the world.
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
Did you ever bother to read the entire article?
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
10 Dec 10
Yes I did and although I can see that you love him you should not put him down.What he may have forgotten you may never know. You sounded as if you were laughing at him and this is just not a nice thing to do to an older person. Take a good look at him as a person and you will probably see that he possesses remarkable qualities.
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
Then where in my post you can point the part I am putting him down? Ohh that! I wanted to laugh yes but did I? I respect my grandpa more than you'll ever know and I just can't understand why you can't even consider it a positive act the thing that I managed not to laugh at all. I maybe acted insensitive there for everyday in my life with grandpa never opened such thing until that day in which I initially thought just another remarkable joke he read somewhere. I know him so well, he's the serious type but you will find yourself rolling in the floor laughing once he throw his piece. Anyway I know what you just want to convey here and I want to say we are under on the same umbrella. Thank you.
@jwfarrimond (4473)
13 Dec 10
Very true! This 64 year old "Old Man" has been online for the last 10 years and on Facebook for the last 2 or 3 years. Though I must admit, I don't bother going on there very much. There's too much trival chatter from the young 'uns!
14 Dec 10
Why not!
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
14 Dec 10
Maybe you could be buddies here.
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
30 Dec 10
i know a few older people who are on facebook to keep in contact with their children (and possibly grandchildren) who don't live near to them. nothing wrong with that!
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
30 Dec 10
hi cher913. Thanks for the comment. You are right but he's a bit sad thou that he can't find some of his childhood friends.
@katie0 (5203)
• Japan
13 Dec 10
how cute! he is a very updated kind of guy, very nice! it's always great to make friends and enjoy technology, i'm gonna be just like him when i'm 65
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
13 Dec 10
Yes he is. In your case, already started embracing the new technology and by the time you reach his age need not the help of others that is, if keep yourself updated. Thanks
@chayapathys (2111)
• India
10 Dec 10
Yes.It is very nice of your grandpa to join face book at this age.There is no age limit to join face book.Only thing is that one should be intersted.Lifr is there to live actively and laziness creates problems both in health and mind.All the best to your grandpa
• India
11 Dec 10
Yes one should always be positive in thinking and acting.Otherwise there is no life.If people like your grandpa join mylot it is beneficial to other members as he can he share his rich experience with men and matters with others and he can also the modern trend in life.Good to himself and others..
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
Thanks for your positive comments. These would boost his morale to learn new things beside reading newspaper in the morning. I will in no surprised if one day he decides to join us and share his own experiences in his newly found pastime.
@pokumon (644)
• United States
11 Dec 10
Now the question is are you friends with your grandpa on facebook? I'm the only kid who accepted my mom's friendship. So far she hasn't embarrassed me and I've detagged any offending photos of myself. I think it's great that he's getting into social networking and it gives him something to do.
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
12 Dec 10
Sure I am. Last time I checked he already has 5 or 6 friends and counting.
@Blondie2222 (28611)
• United States
10 Dec 10
Nobody is too old to learn new technology. Just look at that 90 yr old women from New york that just got her bachelors degree. There's never an age limit to anything. So teach your grandpa its one way you guys can be close and learn things together :). I'm sure he would love that..My parents have facebook as well..Some people want to learn about computers and others don't. Its not a bad habit to learn really.
• Singapore
10 Dec 10
That's wonderful! Actually FaceBook can be joined by anyone be it young or old. I admire your grandpa, for his zest in technology, and his willingness to catch up with the younger generation.
@Masihi (4413)
• Canada
9 Dec 10
I think it's amazing to see the elderly generation use Facebook, and I think it's really important to be able to keep in contact with family and friends. I also think it'll help keep his mind sharp. All the best to him!
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
9 Dec 10
I couldn't agree more. Thanks Masihi..
• India
10 Dec 10
Why? I am 65 and I am 65 and I have been surfing net for past 15 years. I am on face book and orkut and many other social networking sites.
@oldchem1 (8132)
10 Dec 10
What's wrong with that? I'm 60 in just over a week and use Facebook all the time, my husband is almost 69 and uses it. Just because we're getting older doesn't stop us being able to use modern technology!!
@jordq7 (576)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
hi there Lance26!All I can say is you have a very cool grandfather...wow, how I wish my granpa was also like that, coz all he does all day is to sit and watch tv..I think theres nothing wrong for old people to use social networking sites, as long as they wouldn't be addicted to it and they'll still have time for more important thing.
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
Hi jordq7! Why I didn't introduce this to grandpa before? Now he doesn't need to stress himself everytime he reads bad news in the bulletin. Thanks to you Ivy Bean.
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
Go, go, go grandpa!!! Now, if only my mother would be the same I try to teach her how to use the internet so we could just use skype but she still uses the phone to call, I guess it only depends on the person, my mother is still 45...maybe later she'll be curious about it more and offer to learn like your grandpa did...
@Lance26 (956)
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
Ohh Thank you honey! (in behalf of my grandpa)
@Kapoios1 (83)
• Greece
10 Dec 10
Hahaha, thats something you dont see everyday.
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
9 Dec 10
I am in my mid 60s and I use Facebook. I figure since I did not marry until my late 20s that my life does not end at retirement or when one receives a pension. Maybe your grandfather felt the same way. It's a good thing to help your grandpa get a Facebook account. Age is just a number.
• United States
9 Dec 10
I have found the younger people think we are to old to do somethings. Thing is they haven't walked in our shoes to know what we can and can't do. Oh they will all on their own in years to come when they hear the same words said to them. Thing is I am not looked like that from my daughters. I started them into the tech world before they were even in school. When they had a problem, I would go online if I didn't know how to fix it and find an answer so that I could. I do not do that to often for them anymore. They do their own since they are all out of high school now. I don't feel age has anything to do with what we learn or how we learn, It is that we do learn at any age, Just like you learned who Ivy Beam was.
• United States
10 Dec 10
I feel facebook and other social networking sites are healthy for anyone at any age. I can imagine a 74 year old member, finding an old classmate and or family member. I can only see the glee and joy in that 74 year old. After all after they reach a certain age they need to keep busy. I have a friend on sidetick who is 90, and I would swear he was in his 20's. Nothing exorbitant, just a person full of life who happens to help me earn on a daily basis.
@cultus (24)
• Pakistan
10 Dec 10
oh really its amazing