I’m setting up a new initiative using Twitter to help overcome loneliness in elderly, housebound and isolated people, and you can help by spending just a few minutes now and again.
It doesn’t need anybody to post a lot of tweets, just a lot of people to post one tweet when they’ve got time.
Next time you see an interesting sight or a beautiful view that you want to share, or anything interesting happens on your travels, tweet it (preferably with a picture) on your usual Twitter account - but don’t forget to include the hashtag #RoadPals somewhere in the tweet.
That’s all there is to it. I will also make sure the tweets get retweeted by the @RoadPals account.
I have been talking to the charity Contact the Elderly, who will help spread the word when the first few tweets have been posted, and I will be talking to other organisations which support elderly or isolated people.
You might think your driving days are boring, but just one interesting post a year can make a big difference to the people who read it.
don’t want to ■■■■ on your idea, (good though it is), but there are a lot of elderly people out there that don’t even have a computer, … I can think of 6 in my street alone that don’t have one
Driver-Once-More:
don’t want to ■■■■ on your idea, (good though it is), but there are a lot of elderly people out there that don’t even have a computer, … I can think of 6 in my street alone that don’t have one
That is definitely a fly in the ointment but there’s only one way to find out if it’s going to work. Although I’ve mainly been talking to Contact the Elderly so far (and their ‘customer’ base is over-75s) the aim is to provide outward-looking human contact for all housebound and isolated people of any age.
For those of you that already use Twitter it’s just a case of adding the hashtag to a tweet now and again, and it only takes me a few minutes a day to monitor the account, so if you’re willing to give it a go it could turn out to be a life-saver.
I certainly wish you the best of luck with it Mike. I call in on some of our elderly neighbours every week or so, usually I’m the only person they get to see on a semi-regular basis
Most elderly people don’t even have a mobile phone, never mind a computer. I don’t think you’ve thought this through too well. Not only that but twitter is probably the worst platform you could’ve chosen. Limited character length and anything that would be remotely of interest to them would require clicking a URL - something that the majority of non-computer savvy types (ie. elderly in particular) are scared to death of doing.
You would be doing a far more useful job by actually going and visiting them to check they’re alright rather than some half-baked attempt at pretending you care whilst keeping them firmly at arms length on the other end of an internet connection.
Left hand down!:
Most elderly people don’t even have a mobile phone, never mind a computer. I don’t think you’ve thought this through too well. Not only that but twitter is probably the worst platform you could’ve chosen. Limited character length and anything that would be remotely of interest to them would require clicking a URL - something that the majority of non-computer savvy types (ie. elderly in particular) are scared to death of doing.
You would be doing a far more useful job by actually going and visiting them to check they’re alright rather than some half-baked attempt at pretending you care whilst keeping them firmly at arms length on the other end of an internet connection.
You don’t know me or what I do to contribute to my community in other ways, and I resent your deeply offensive accusation that I am pretending to care, not to mention your patronising attitude to older people. And as I said above this idea is not aimed just at elderly people but all isolated people.
You presumably don’t understand loneliness or isolation, or the reasons why some people are in that situation. For some lonely people a personal visit is a stressful, distressing or even a frightening experience, which certainly wouldn’t improve their situation.
Yes the idea is half-baked and if you don’t think it’s worth spending a few seconds now and again to see if it works that’s up to you, but thankfully not everybody is as negative as you are.
Sorry Mike but I can see LHD, s point here.
The alarm bells start ringing when any project is announced that involves lets say extremeley vunerable members of society.
Do you have any proof you have approval from a charity who will assist you in this.
Sorry not one for me but best of luck…
Oh and you might want to change your avatar from a ‘burglar’, just a suggestion…
Its not a difficult concept to handle and I don’t know why so many of you are criticising the OP for trying to do something.
Yes there are old people who dont have computers or twitter accounts - but theres still an awful lot that do. Many may be housebound or live in a dreary city and if me posting a picture of some of the stunning scenery I see daily but take for granted then it’s not going to hurt me is it.
If you don’t agree with the idea then don’t participate - including in this thread.
Dipper_Dave:
Sorry Mike but I can see LHD, s point here.
The alarm bells start ringing when any project is announced that involves lets say extremeley vunerable members of society.
Do you have any proof you have approval from a charity who will assist you in this.
If you have a Twitter account you can check the @RoadPals account and you will see several exchanges of tweets, and retweets in both directions, with a few different charities. You can also check my personal Twitter account @ourMikeGeorge and the plant swap account which has raised money for Contact the Elderly @PlantSwapBurbij
I have also been a member on here, the PDA forums (where you will see I have taken part in other charity fundraising activities) and codforum for 10 years. I am also on the Courier World forums and I run Shed 5.
I can understand people being suspicious of projects involving extremely vulnerable members of society, but would I really be asking you to tweet a picture of Weston-super-Mare and say “wish you were here” so that it can be seen on a public site like Twitter if I had sinister motives?
Dipper_Dave:
Oh and you might want to change your avatar from a ‘burglar’, just a suggestion…
That’s actually the Hamburgler and I thought it was only Homer Simpson who could confuse it with a real burglar, but I have changed it to be the same as I use on other forums.
m1cks:
Its not a difficult concept to handle and I don’t know why so many of you are criticising the OP for trying to do something.
Yes there are old people who dont have computers or twitter accounts - but theres still an awful lot that do. Many may be housebound or live in a dreary city and if me posting a picture of some of the stunning scenery I see daily but take for granted then it’s not going to hurt me is it.
If you don’t agree with the idea then don’t participate - including in this thread.
Thanks m1cks
And not only will it not hurt you, but it could well enhance your own well-being if it means you see things with fresh eyes that you were taking for granted, and that you are sharing your enjoyment with other people.
m1cks:
Its not a difficult concept to handle and I don’t know why so many of you are criticising the OP for trying to do something. Yes there are old people who dont have computers or twitter accounts - but theres still an awful lot that do. Many may be housebound or live in a dreary city and if me posting a picture of some of the stunning scenery I see daily but take for granted then it’s not going to hurt me is it.
If you don’t agree with the idea then don’t participate - including in this thread.
The old folk that have computers and twitter accounts have close, caring family that set it all up for them and show them how to use it. Those that don’t, don’t, so it’s a waste of time. Personally, having used Twitter and seen the crap that gets posted on it, I think you’ll probably find that these “old, isolated, lonely” people would rather you didn’t involve them in it.
I’ve always thought Twitter was a load of ■■■■■■■■ to be honest but your idea sounds ■■■■■■■ inspired to me. I’m in, just gotta learn how to use the ■■■■ now. [DELIVERY TRUCK]
Driver-Once-More:
don’t want to ■■■■ on your idea, (good though it is), but there are a lot of elderly people out there that don’t even have a computer, … I can think of 6 in my street alone that don’t have one
They could all chip together & use the same one or get themselves down the library.
Driver-Once-More:
I certainly wish you the best of luck with it Mike. I call in on some of our elderly neighbours every week or so, usually I’m the only person they get to see on a semi-regular basis
Legend, I tip my cap to you Sir. Don’t ever change!
Left hand down!:
Most elderly people don’t even have a mobile phone, never mind a computer. I don’t think you’ve thought this through too well. Not only that but twitter is probably the worst platform you could’ve chosen. Limited character length and anything that would be remotely of interest to them would require clicking a URL - something that the majority of non-computer savvy types (ie. elderly in particular) are scared to death of doing.
You would be doing a far more useful job by actually going and visiting them to check they’re alright rather than some half-baked attempt at pretending you care whilst keeping them firmly at arms length on the other end of an internet connection.
■■■■■
Perhaps he does that as well. I presume from the saintly tone of you’re post that you’re Florence Nightingale to the elderly then, where do you find the time to drive a ■■■■■■■ wagon.
Why the ■■■■ do some people feel the need to lay the boot in all time, I don’t get it, it’s just ■■■■■■■ nasty.
If you haven’t got anything nice to say then ■■■■ off.
Your first point is valid & intelligently put but your after rant is chronically offensive to me.
If only one elderly person raises a smile from this initiative them job done in my eyes.
Driver-Once-More:
don’t want to ■■■■ on your idea, (good though it is), but there are a lot of elderly people out there that don’t even have a computer, … I can think of 6 in my street alone that don’t have one
Left hand down!:
Most elderly people don’t even have a mobile phone, never mind a computer. I don’t think you’ve thought this through too well. Not only that but twitter is probably the worst platform you could’ve chosen. Limited character length and anything that would be remotely of interest to them would require clicking a URL - something that the majority of non-computer savvy types (ie. elderly in particular) are scared to death of doing.
You would be doing a far more useful job by actually going and visiting them to check they’re alright rather than some half-baked attempt at pretending you care whilst keeping them firmly at arms length on the other end of an internet connection.
You don’t know me or what I do to contribute to my community in other ways, and I resent your deeply offensive accusation that I am pretending to care, not to mention your patronising attitude to older people. And as I said above this idea is not aimed just at elderly people but all isolated people.
You presumably don’t understand loneliness or isolation, or the reasons why some people are in that situation. For some lonely people a personal visit is a stressful, distressing or even a frightening experience, which certainly wouldn’t improve their situation.
Yes the idea is half-baked and if you don’t think it’s worth spending a few seconds now and again to see if it works that’s up to you, but thankfully not everybody is as negative as you are.
Soz, I didn’t read that you covered it before my rant.
How’s about age concern might put some money in to training a few oldies up & giving them a puter to share. Some of the scenery I see would make their heart & soul sing & I don’t even leave these shores. Just a little chat does the trick sometimes…
