The Pew Internet and American Life Project recently released a new report on "Generations Online in 2009." It's a nine-page PDF document that you can open in a new window here.
I'm particularly interested in knowing how many older people are surfing the Internet these days, so this caught my eye:
- Of all the people online these days, 24 percent are 55 or older.
- Of all the people ages 55 to 59, 71 percent are online. And of all the people 75 and older, 27 percent are online!
The report suggests something to me: As we plan our delivery systems (for fundraising and "friend-raising," for promotional materials, for church relations), we must take into account the power of the Web, even for the senior members of our constituency.
On the other hand, almost three quarters of the over-75 crowd are not yet online. And since everyone -- everyone! -- should be thinking about planned giving and the generosity and wisdom of our elders, it would be foolish to ignore old-fashioned print media and personal contacts in our rush to the Web.