Searching on the Internet

 

 

Not everyone uses a computer.  And, it is not always easy to find information on the Internet.  If you have a computer with Internet, but don’t know how to find information and want to, you might want to go to your public library for assistance.  The librarian will be able to help you find the information, and can give you some tips on how to search.  If you have a friend or family member who is used to using the Internet to find information, they may be able to help you too.

 

To search on the Internet you will need to open a web browser on your computer like Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, or Firefox.  Once the browser is open you will have to type in an address at the top of your browser to bring up a search engine.  The most frequently used search engines to type in are google.com or yahoo.com or bing.com.  Once you type in the search engine address and press the "enter" key you will get a box where you can type in the key words related to your search. For example, if I open Google and type in the words “dementia AND driving”, I will get more that 14 million items.  But, the most commonly searched items will be listed first.  In this case, the top websites were: Dementia & Driving from the Family Caregiver Alliance, and Dementia & Driving Resource Center from the Alzheimer’s Association.

 

If you do not find the information you are looking for, you can change your search words.  For example, if searching “dementia AND driving AND Alabama Law”, I would find almost 400,000 items.  The top two are more specific to Alabama state driving laws for seniors and elderly drivers, and information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

 

If you know the web address, you can type that into the search area. For example, you can type in “www.alabamadementia.gov” to go to the website of this resource guide.

 

It is not good if you get upset trying to find information on the Internet. If you do not have access to a computer, or are having difficulty finding the information you are seeking, you can always call 1-800-AGE-LINE for help.