Ensuring The Online Security And Safety Of Seniors

With the internet offering great opportunities for seniors for learning new information, reading, shopping, communicating with their loved ones, and watching videos, it is vital to ensure their safety is ensured. There are many online resources that help promote healthy lifestyles for these individuals. However, everyone who offers companion care in Philadelphia should provide internet security to protect the seniors’ personal information. Below are some ways they can do that.

Memory Loss And Dementia

Although the internet can offer rewarding and fun activities for seniors, some of them might be suffering from dementia or short-term memory loss. They, therefore, need to be supervised by a care provider to ensure that they don’t end up in hazardous situations. Seniors might divulge personal information to strangers, overspend, or forget how to use computers. They will, therefore, benefit from compassionate assisted expertise to help them stay safe while online.

Safeguarding Personal Information

Each time people go online, they meet strangers from all over the world since the internet traverses geographic boundaries. If a person gets scammed by a fraudster in the same region, law enforcers may apprehend the culprit. However, if that individual lives thousands of miles away, it might be hard. This is why caregivers need to safeguard the personal information of the seniors under their care using means that encrypt the sending or receipt of messages especially when it involves individuals who might be vulnerable to fraudsters or sensitive online transactions.

Using a Password Protection Program

There are numerous programs that help people update and remember their passwords. Such software will help any senior to surf the internet without the need of re-entering different passwords at different websites. All they need to remember is the master password. These programs also keep updating the passwords at intervals thus, promoting security.

Avoid Clicking On Links

Seniors should be educated to refrain from clicking links in their emails from government agencies, banks, or credit card companies unless they are 100% sure that they are from legitimate sources. Phishing is a common scam that happens online. It involves a person sending a link of a legitimately looking website to an unsuspecting victim just to steal login and personal information. Even when the company name appears as part of the web address,it could still be a scam, and seniors need to know this to refrain from opening such links.

Using Monitoring Software with the Senior’s Permission

It might be hard to determine if a senior with memory problems can benefit from direct supervision when using the internet. If a senior citizen permits, caregivers can consult with an attorney or physician and install a monitoring program that allows a review of their online activities.

Although the software was originally intended to help parents monitor their children’s online activities, they can also be used with seniors. They make it possible to block inappropriate or dangerous sites and keep a record of all the web pages that users have visited. With such programs, caregivers can make sure that the seniors do not get mistreated online.