Social Media Guide for Seniors

Why Social Media Matters for Seniors

Social media is a great way for older adults to virtually and accessibly:

• Build community and join groups dedicated to hobbies, special interests, local news, and spiritual beliefs.
• Engage in lifelong learning and enjoy entertainment on a variety of platforms, from new recipes to trying DIY projects.
• Fight social isolation and stay in touch with loved ones or meet new people from all around the world.
• Improve cognitive health by staying current with new information, enhancing digital literacy, and getting tech-savvy.

How to Post on Facebook and Instagram

Since Facebook and Instagram are under the same ownership, it’s easy to follow the same steps to make a post on either platform after you create your account:

1. Open the app and click the + symbol or “Create Post” option.
2. Create or select the photo or video from your camera roll you want to post.
3. Adjust the size and add any image filters or music you like.
4. You can add the location and tag the people in the post. To tag someone’s account, you’ll need to know what their handle (name) is on that social platform and type “@” followed by their handle without any spaces. EX: @LifeEnrichingCommunities
5. Write your caption without revealing personal information or exceeding the set character limit. You can add hashtags, which help catalog and find topics, by typing the # symbol followed by the desired word or phrase without any spaces. EX: #LifeEnrichingCommunities
6. When you’re ready, hit the “Post” or “Share” option.

How to Post a Story

To make a story (a limited 24-hour post), you need to:

1. Select your profile image to create your story.
2. Follow steps 2-6 from above.
3. Choose to make your post public to the world or private to only those who follow you.

How to View a Post

Now that you know how to make your own posts, if you want to view other people’s posts, you need to:

• Follow the accounts you’re interested in or familiar with, then go to the home screen and scroll up and down to see what they populate.
• Or you can tap their profile page and scroll through their specific posts.
• View stories by going to the home screen, looking at the top row of circular profiles, and scrolling left or right to tap the one you want to view.

How to Comment on a Post

To comment on a social media post, you need to:

1. Select the “Comment” or “Reply” option on a post.
2. Type your comment, which can include tagging and adding hashtags.
3. Press the arrow or submission button.

NOTE: Comments are public, so be aware you are not sending a private message.

How to Share a Post

If you see a post you want to share with someone, you need to:

1. Click the arrow button.
2. Type in the handle of the person you want to send it to.
3. Add an optional private message.

NOTE: If you want to have private conversations with your mutuals, do so in your direct messages (DMs).

What Not To Share On Social Media

It’s important to practice digital health and cyber security, so avoid sharing the following information on social media:

• Your banking information (i.e., account and routing numbers)
• Medical information
• Your social security number
• Your credit card number
• Personal information (i.e., address, date of birth, and other details you use for login questions, such as your mother’s maiden name)
• Your username and password

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Life Enriching Communities is committed to equipping you with a plan for the future. Learn more about our senior life plan communities at lec.org.