She encourages other older people to become just as confident with all those digital gadgets. “You should not be afraid to click.”
Greet Veltman (96) has more than 500 connections on LinkedIn. At the bottom of her CV, which lists work such as volunteering as a nurse for the Red Cross and DJing for a radio station, there’s a personal note: “LinkedIn doesn’t go back further than 1958.” So, she continues with a short note, describing her other professional activities, starting just after World War Two.
Greet, who is turning 97 next month, is still a very active woman. “I stay fit by walking my little dog Wendy,” she says. “I stay busy. For example, I'm also involved in the seniors' network.”
The cheerful lady from Hoorn is sharp, in part due to her endless curiosity about all things digital.
She emails, shops online, looks up medical information for herself and Wendy, comments on LinkedIn posts, and keeps in touch with her family through her iPad, laptop, and smartwatch. “You should just click,” she says. “If I don’t understand something, I look it up.” Her digital skills keep her connected to what's going on in the world, both near and far.
The magic of technology
“I just find these things interesting. It’s really a passion of mine.” Greet grew up in a time without television, but discovered the magic of technology early on. “My first computer was an Atari,” she recalls. “That must have been around 1980. You had to program it yourself. There was no manual, so I spent weeks figuring out how it worked. Dots, dashes, commas, I kept on trying until I got it right. Sometimes I’d be up until four in the morning working on it. And when it finally worked, I was so thrilled.”
Greet advises other older adults to go online too. “You’ve just got to give it a try.”
Staying connected with family
That sense of curiosity is part of Greet’s nature. Years ago, she designed a digital health card that allowed people to record their medical details. She was even invited to present the idea in Parliament. “They thought it was great, but a hundred thousand euros were needed to develop it further. I didn’t get it,” she says with a shrug. “But it did work.”
This opened up a whole new world for her. She created her own programs and even developed a computer game. When the internet arrived in the 1990s, Greet was one of the first to embrace it.
She’s still online every day. She has a laptop, tablet, and smartwatch (“I was one of the first with one of those”) and thinks the internet is great. “You can look up anything. And you can see your family, your children, your grandchildren — that’s the best part of all.”
First steps into the digital world
It’s no surprise that Greet encourages other older people to go online, even if they feel hesitant. “You just have to try it. Experiment a bit, don’t start with the difficult stuff right away. Play a game first. The rest will come naturally.”
She also recommends the free Welkom Online course, developed by Vodafone Foundation and the National Foundation for the Elderly. The programme helps elderly with practical online guidance, personal tips, and inspiring stories. It allows older people to take their first digital steps in an easy and accessible way. “It’s really good,” she says, “especially the module about ‘An active life’. Because even if you’re not physically together, you still talk to each other.”
Greet also keeps up with the latest technology. She uses a smartwatch with features like a step counter and heart rate monitor. “Very handy for keeping an eye on your health.”
Staying alert
Greet is aware of online risks, but she doesn’t let them scare her. She was only caught out by scammers once. “Someone took over my laptop once and I couldn’t do anything,” she says. “But apart from that, everything’s gone well. You just need to pay attention. If something looks suspicious, leave it alone.”
She believes it’s vital for other older people to become digitally skilled. Not just for practical reasons but, above all, for social reasons. “Some people don’t go out anymore. Then it’s nice if you can video call or send messages. That way you can still talk to each other.”
Want to go online yourself?
Visit Welkom Online! Also good to know: from Tuesday to Friday, between 10 a.m. and 12 noon, Vodafone and Ziggo shops host digital walk-in hours. Anyone can drop by with questions about digital matters, for help using a phone or tablet, or for advice on how to stay safe on the internet. Around Black Friday and the festive season, it can be a bit busier, but staff will help everyone as quickly as possible. From 24 to 30 November, the Alliance for Digital Inclusion is organising The Week of Digital Participation. During this week, organisations across the country showcase what support and help they offer locally to ensure everyone can take part in the digital society.