Halcyon Glades’ newcomers Keith and Kathy Elliott are making the digital revolution work for them.
Like a growing proportion of older Australians (1), they are finding that the online world is a user-friendly place that can make their life easier, simpler and better.
Just by tapping on their smartphones and laptops, Keith and Kathy are accessing library books, music, movies, YouTube, news, online banking, and are keeping in closer touch with their family in France.
They reflect the trend across Halcyon communities, where tablet and smartphone usage amongst homeowners has risen almost 10 per cent over the past year.
“I’ve made an effort to keep up with technology and use the web for any information we require,” Keith said.
Keith is a YouTube convert; using the popular video-sharing site in the way that people read encyclopedias and instruction manuals in the past.
“YouTube is brilliant, I use it for anything that I want to know,” he said
“If you want to know how to install a dishwasher or work on an outboard motor, I just look it up on YouTube.
“And if you can’t get the information there, you can get it on Google.”
Kathy uses YouTube differently; tuning in to watch Britain’s Got Talent and other musical entertainment such as The Ten Tenors in concert and André Rieu.
She has also eliminated the hassle of library visits by regularly streaming audiobooks and e-books from the online catalogue of three local libraries to the laptop and then onto her e-reader.
“I do it all from home,” she said.
Keith takes it a step further by streaming audiobooks and ebooks onto his phone and then listening to them on his Bluetooth earphones, which offer a better quality of sound.
He gets all his news online, free on the ABC News website, which allows for 20 news topics plus iview for catch up on TV programs.
“There are great apps allowing access to news, sport, music, catch-up TV shows, movies and documentaries at any time,” he added.
For Kathy, keeping in contact with her son and grandchildren living in France is easy and instant thanks to texting – which Keith taught her to do – as well as via video chats and the free WhatsApp messenger service.
When it comes to social media, the Elliotts are less enthusiastic, wanting to stay away from the “drama” that it can create. Their concessions on that are Facebook and Instagram, which they only read.
Being so active online hasn’t stopped Keith and Kathy from being just as active in the Halcyon Glades community, which they moved to from their semi-acreage property near Montville in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
Since moving in, they’ve certainly joined in, with Keith walking up to 4km each day and swimming in the Rec Club pool.
Kathy enjoys Tai Chi and expressing her creative side with the Glades craft group.
Travel is also big on the agenda for these keen road trippers, who’ve been around Australia five times and overseas several times since Keith retired in 1997.
They’re looking forward to more getaways in their motorhome, with their new life at Halcyon Glades making it so easy to ‘lock and leave’.
Keith said they moved to the Caboolture north community in June to be closer to family, major shops, public transport, and medical facilities.
“We’d lived in Flaxton for 20 years and it was time to move,” he said.
“We looked at Vision by Halcyon, nearly bought at Halcyon Greens and on the way home we saw Halcyon Glades and liked the look of it.
“I’ve always loved the northside of Brisbane because I was born and bred here.”
Tech savvy tips:
- Take a free computer course offered by your local council or library
- Make sure your internet plan includes unlimited data
- Stream e-books, audio books and music from public libraries
- Use apps on the SmartTV or PC to catch up on previous TV programs
- The ABC’s listen and iview apps are handy for radio and catch-up TV
- YouTube is great for learning to do anything
(1) Footnote: www.acma.gov.au research snapshots - The digital lives of older Australians, August 2016
