Older adults are making the somewhat daunting transition from letter writing to word processing to the Internet and electronic mail. And, it isn't only to keep in touch with the grandchildren.

In a matter of minutes, an airplane ticket can be purchased, a new car can be acquired and a new pair of shoes can be bid on and bought through eBay, an auction website. And it can all happen from the comfort of home. With the wealth of information easily available on the Internet, it's no wonder older adults are pushing their technological biases aside to learn and sharpen their computer skills.

For many now entering their 60s and later, the vast leaps in technology during their lifetime is almost unbelievable. Rather than honing their writing skills in Microsoft Word, these generations were raised to practice their penmanship using cursive and calligraphy to write letters to friends and family.

And computer skills are becoming more relevant for the senior crowd, as postage rates and telephone costs continue to rise, while the purchase price of a personal computer continues to decrease. There is also increased accessibility to computers, both for learning how to use them and for using them, at local senior centers and libraries.

Willow Glen resident Jean Jones, 76, says that although many of her peers actively use email to communicate, it hasn't been easy to get all her friends to make the switch.

"Many people my age are set in their ways," Jones says. "I try to encourage more people to use the computer, but you don't change people's minds at our age."

Jones says even she rebelled against succumbing to technology at first. After her first personal computer was set up in her home about five years ago, she left it untouched for six months before she used it. But then she decided she might as well learn to use the computer and use it to her advantage.

"I use the computer primarily for word processing— I personally use the computer for about an hour per day," she said.

Once Jones decided to start using the computer, she hasn't looked back since. In fact, the one-time computer-phobic is now the head of a PC user's group at Willows Senior Center on Lincoln Avenue called "Windows in the Willows." The organization brings in an outside speaker once a month to speak to about 60 senior citizens about a variety of issues pertaining to using a computer. The speaker also answers questions about how to fix any problems.

"It is a thrill to see seniors get involved in the group," Jones says. "Seniors are always afraid of anything strange, like learning how to use the computer. But we have a lot of seniors coming to our user group. It's really a great group of people."

Marilynn Gilmore, 56, began using her computer last November because her three adult children told her it would be a good way for them to keep in touch. Her son came up from Southern California to help her set it up, but after he left, she had no idea what to do.

In January, she started to take introductory computer classes at SeniorNet, a nonprofit group that provides computer education and access to people 50 years and older. The classes also take place at the Willows Senior Center, with courses on anything from digital images, to fun with graphics, to using the Internet and the Microsoft Windows XP operating system. Currently, about 18 different courses are available at the center.

"The older you get, the harder it is to learn on your own," Gilmore says. "Before I took these classes, I would sit in front of the keyboard and ask the Office Assistant on the computer how to do things."

And she adds, "The classes are phenomenal. We have homework we do on the computer at home every week after classes, and I am learning things I can apply to my daily life."

Gilmore says that after she learned to use email, she immediately started to keep in touch with two distant cousins she hadn't spoken to in a while and now stays better connected with her children, who all live hundreds of miles away.

"Using email really changes the time frame of communication," she says

She also likes to use the instant messenger feature, which allows her to talk in real time to her children and receive immediate responses.

Yet she isn't only using her computer to communicate with family members. She proudly admits she has bought two airline tickets on the Web and even changed her mortgage rates thanks to a mortgage website she found.

While surfing the web one day, she learned of a substantially lower rate for a 15-year home mortgage. So, she called her bank and told them about this competitive rate. Shortly afterward, her loan broker called back and secured the very same 15-year, decreased-interest rate. Gilmore thanks the Internet for her opportunity to save money while paying off her home.

But she does have one complaint about the Internet, even with all its advantages. "I don't like when people send those electronic greeting cards," she says. "Maybe I am older and sentimental, but I like to receive a paper card for special occasions."

She says, "I have arthritis and it is hard for me to write notes, but even though it is painful, I still write letters to friends on special occasions."

Willow Glen resident Ray Bunnell likes to use the computer to keep track of his financial records and also spends a lot of time checking out travel deals on the Internet.

This 70-year-old retired IBM employee has taken a number of classes with SeniorNet to learn more about Microsoft Word, the Internet and file management. He says it is unfortunate that more seniors don't take advantage of using a personal computer.

"I know some people who won't even turn on a computer," he says. "They think there is too much to learn and haven't really been exposed to it enough."

Although many seniors are still not connected to the information superhighway, Bunnell might be surprised to learn that many seniors have begun "surfing the net." According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 15 percent of U.S. senior citizens have Internet access, and 69 percent of those go online everyday. And, the study reported, online seniors are more likely than other seniors to be married and well-educated and to have high retirement incomes.

Another study conducted by eMarketer, an independent source of statistics, trend data and analysis on the Internet, e-business and emerging technologies, reports that 46 percent of U.S. seniors have been using the Internet for more than five years. The study found that 94 percent of seniors use the Net to communicate with friends and family, while 72 percent go online for news.

With the growing number of older adults on the Web, the FBI reports that senior citizens should beware of Internet fraud. The FBI has an entire web page with tips on how to avoid health insurance fraud, funeral and cemetery fraud, and anti-aging-product fraud, as well as other scams. The FBI reports that seniors are targeted because they are more likely to be sitting on a "nest egg," they are more likely to be polite and trusting, and they are apparently less likely to report fraud.

Although the Internet may have its share of negative setback and cautionary tales, that won't stop Jones, Gilmore or Bunnell from using it to their advantage and teaching other seniors how to make the most of the latest in technology.

"You are a dinosaur if you still don't use a computer," Gilmore says. "This is the quickest and easiest way to instantly communicate with friends all over the place."

For more information about SeniorNet computer classes, visit http://www.snlcsj.org, or call 408.448.6400. SeniorNet is located at Willow Senior Center, 2175 Lincoln Avenue.

For more information on tips to prevent fraud, visit the website at http://www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/seniorsfam.htm.