Seniors feel guilty about watching too much television, especially in the daytime, because they grew up before video games and social media were “a thing.”
The television, in the homes of many elderly, is often on for company rather than for content. Background noise is a powerful draw when you are alone.
Yes, studies show that older people regard television as a “friend” and would be loath to be without it. Friends, hmmm. You may have noticed that conversations with real friends often center around favorite book and television characters. Everyone seems to know who Jack Reacher, Will Trent, and the Lincoln Lawyer are. The same could be said about many soap opera characters.
In early retirement folks fill their time with a wide range of physical activities, but as time goes by, physical and financial restrictions take their toll. Not surprisingly, seniors start spending more time at home with their television sets on.
So, what are older people watching? The news, PBS, and reruns of kinder gentler shows from their pasts. Truth be told, seniors are looking for something with a little more substance than modern fare. Classier mysteries coming to us from Europe and Australia are growing in popularity, as are channels featuring our own classics.
As with books, there are television programs for everyone. For your brain you can watch documentaries, for exercise you can follow gentle yoga instruction, and for fun there is always a good “who-done-it” featuring older sleuths solving crimes with their mental acuity.
The average person watches 3 hours and 45 minutes of television, but it is even more than that for the elderly. The downside is that sitting for long periods of time is bad for you, so you need to get off your butt from time to time. Researchers say that sitting is the new smoking: obesity, diabetes and the risk of cardiovascular disease are rampant, but wait…you probably already have those, so use your best judgement.
The truth is that the elderly need television to remain well informed and relevant. Snatching a few moments in front of the television screen can relieve fatigue and isolation.
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