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May 2010

From wireless to wi-fi: over-65s ditch the radio for the mouse

The internet has replaced the radio as the pensioner’s friend reveals new research out today by Peverel Retirement, the leading retirement property firm.

More than half of those aged over 65 go online each day – and this figure rises for those aged more than 75. Contrary to the Rajar audience figures out last week which showed that the number of people listening to radio is on the rise, a staggering one in three say they never listen to the radio, compared with only 1% who say they never go online. Nearly half of over 65s watch TV each day.

Of those over 65s who go online each day, 80 per cent spend more than 2 hours a day browsing the web. Men are more web-savvy than women with 57% online each day compared with 49% of women, but are also more likely to tune into the radio (26%) than women (20%).

Peverel Retirement Managing Director Keith Edgar said: “This is the generation who grew up listening to the radio – and heard momentous events, such as the outbreak of war, on the wireless first. The radio and TV have traditionally been perceived as providing company for people in their twilight years but clearly the over-65s have been quick to embrace new technology.” 

“We’re not surprised that the internet is proving so popular. With families today often living further apart it is a fantastic way to keep in touch with loved ones. This research proves pensioners can give the young a run for their money when it comes to the web.”

Glasgow boasts the most over-65s in the UK who go online each day (68%) followed by Birmingham and Brighton (65% and 63% respectively). However, silver surfers in Leeds are online the longest, with 28 per cent of over-65s online for four hours a day compared with 13 per cent of Londoners and 9 per cent of Mancunians.

Madge Full, aged 82, who lives at Maple & Magnolia Court in Plymouth, where half of over-65s go online every day, has been on a web-training course and encourages more pensioners to join the legions of silver surfers.

“With my grandchildren living in Germany I wanted to keep in contact with them but being hard of hearing made it difficult to speak to them on the phone. When Diane Le Masurier, the house manager at Maple & Magnolia Court organised a computer course I jumped at the chance to conquer the internet. It’s been really fun learning how to use a computer. I’ve now bought a laptop and go online once a week.”