I thought 60 was the new 40?

Ok, whoever came up with that expression had to be at least 60. But it does emphasize the point that the baby boom generation is healthier, and living and working longer than the generation before them. They’re also pretty affluent.

So it came as a bit of a surprise to me that according to both Focalyst and Dynamic Logic; and the Pew Internet & American Life Project, just 37.6 percent of Americans 62 and older are going online. That’s about 17 million boomers. So what about the other 62.4 percent or over 30 million?

According to the research, online boomers use the Internet for searching, keeping up with family and friends through blogging and e-mails etc, checking out news, making travel plans, paying bills and even learning online.

Two key factors keeping some boomers offline seem to be education and income. Neither should be an issue. Computing has never been easier to learn, we know that at Video Professor. Prices for computers make them affordable for just about everyone, and libraries fill the gap for those who can’t afford one.

I’ve blogged before about some of the jokes being made about the nation’s most famous baby boomer, Senator John McCain and his perceived lack of computer skills.

Computer literacy is crucial to our nation’s continued growth and success regardless of age or situation. I hope he embraces that, and leads millions of other baby boomers by example. Let’s not let the computer literacy gap become a chasm.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.