'The internet is totally addictive: the more you delve into it, the more possibilities you find," says Roma Gaite. The sprightly 83 year old is seated at the computer in the foyer of Archer Court, a development of self-contained retirement flats close to Salisbury city centre.
We are joined by Stephanie Brown, 58, who has come to check her email. Both women are newcomers to the internet and part of the UK's growing army of "silver surfers" - older people who are discovering the wired world. "I'd never thought of getting online until I came to Archer Court," says Roma. "In fact, I'd never used a computer until last year."
"The internet is certainly not just for the young," says Stephanie. "Why should they have all the fun?"
Gabrielle Brooks of the charity Age Concern would concur. "Communications technology can enrich the life of all age groups," she says. "Every forecast predicts the number of British silver surfers will increase dramatically in the next year or two." In the US, the over-55 age group has been the fastest growing sector of American internet users.
Stephanie Brown mainly uses the Archer Court computer to keep in touch. "My brother in Belgium is very busy, his phone is usually tied up and he gets little time to write letters. But he always looks at his email at work and finds mine among it," she explains.
Roma Gaite's first love, however, is the web. "I find it easier and quicker to pick up the phone than to email," she says. "I am much more interested in exploring the internet. There's so much to learn and it keeps my mind active." Roma, Stephanie and their fellow residents enjoy free internet access as part of a Bournemouth university pilot project to bring internet skills to older people.
The university's history of technology unit has teamed up with Archer Court's builder McCarthy & Stone, Britain's largest specialist provider of retirement housing. Other partners include NTL, the cable company, which supplied the internet service and online-time, and Dixons, which has donated five refurbished computers.
The pilot project has been very successful, says James Poxon of McCarthy & Stone. "We have installed computers in five of our developments and dozens of people at each site have used them. The residents are lively-minded individuals and quickly overcome any initial reserve. Once they see that pressing the wrong key doesn't matter, there's no stopping them."
Frances Cambrook, a Bournemouth university research fellow, has trained the McCarthy & Stone residents in computer skills, web navigation and e-communication. "In future, people will carry IT skills from work into retirement. But just now, most older people are having to learn how to use the internet if they are to avoid becoming part of the information-poor.
"Besides, communications technology can provide productive leisure activity - and that aspect is ideally suited to retired people who have the time to exploit it." The social potential of communications technology is particularly attractive to older people." There are often four or five of us round the machine," says Stephanie Brown. "We offer one another help, hints and suggestions, and share our experience. The computer has become part of our social life and the sessions are great fun."
Roma Gaite agrees: "It's a myth that the internet isolates users. Here it has helped bring people together, to re-inforce the community spirit." The Bournemouth project is one of several initiatives tailored to older people. Last year, for example. Age Concern set up the UK's first chatroom for over-50s. Its Baby Boomer Bistro is an online virtual cafe where users can discuss everything from politics to poetry. Specialised areas include higher education, a debating forum, the environment and spiritual matters.
The charity also runs a network of regional Age Resource Desks giving local information to older people. Linked to the government's IT for All"initiative, many of the desks provide tuition in new technologies, IT training and computer "taster" sessions.
The Saga Group, which provides services to the over-50s, offers computer skills special interest holidays. "These have proved very popular," says Michael Pritchett, Saga's head of digital media, "and the technology and internet column in Saga Magazine attracts more interest among our two million readers than almost any other feature. The internet is increasingly accessible and older people are flocking to it. It's gaining momentum all the time."
This would come as no surprise to Roma Gaite. "The internet has a tremendous amount to offer us," she says. "Surfing is exciting, fascinating and fun however old you are."
• Further information can be obtained from: Age Concern 0208 765 7610; McCarthy & Stone 0800 919 132; Saga Holidays 0800 0565880
www.babyboomerbistro.org.uk
