Geocaching guide for older people

[+TheDobbins]

Hi there,

 

Just wondered if anyone has produced a guide for older people on:

• use of the Geocaching.com website
  
• Geocaching in general
  

We have introduced our parents to the pasttime and they are enjoying it, but a simple guide on how to use the website to find caches would be good if one exists.

 

In the meantime, I've created a quick 1-pager on how to get started so will see how they get on from there!

 

Thanks

Edited August 31, 2009 by TheDobbins

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

I don't think this applies just to older folks............

Most all (notice, I said "most") stumble a bit through the wesite(s). I think the bigger problem is getting all to read about what to do when they move/drop TBs or GCs, upload spoiler photos, importance of stealth, CITO, etc.

 

Wandering through the website comes to one, just by doing it. Sort of like geocaching itself........ searching, hunting and checking out each link. Guidance helps too, when at all possible.

 

Getting all to at least check the Forums, will have many of their questions answered.

[+W7WT]

I am 84 and my wife Arlene is 83. Have been geocaching since August of 2001. My advice is at first keep it simple. Forget the travel bugs, coins etc. Just look for easy accessable caches. Sign the log and log it online.

As the rancher said, if I go out with a load of feed for my cattle and only one cow is there. I don't dump the whole load on her Dick, W7WT

Edited August 31, 2009 by W7WT

[+popokiiti]

We should all keep in mind our fitness levels and do what we are comfortable with. Your folks are probably better than me on the fitness and computer savvy levels. I would suggest to all new cachers to go for the easier difficulty/terrain to begin with, and look for the larger containers...not unknowns, nanos or micros. We went for an unknown recently - turned out to be a micro. Our search would have been a bit different had we known that.

We have a caching friend whose father has one leg and one lung...and is ahead of her in smileys! There is fierce competition between the two. Good on your parents for wanting to give geocaching a try...I bet there will be a competition between you before too long!

[+briansnat]

I don't think there should be a guide simply for older people. I know 80 year olds who can tackle terrain that

a sedentary 20 year old might not dare. I know 70 year olds who are completely computer literate and can find their way around a website as easily as a teenager.

 

There are people in all groups who are technologically challenge and people in all age groups who are physically challenged, even if that means too much time eating donuts in front of the TV.

 

This website has a pretty simple tutorial on how to get started.

[+TheDobbins]

I don't think this applies just to older folks............

I am 84 and my wife Arlene is 83. Have been geocaching since August of 2001. My advice is at first keep it simple. Forget the travel bugs, coins etc. Just look for easy accessable caches. Sign the log and log it online.

I don't think there should be a guide simply for older people. I know 80 year olds who can tackle terrain that

a sedentary 20 year old might not dare. I know 70 year olds who are completely computer literate and can find their way around a website as easily as a teenager.

 

There are people in all groups who are technologically challenge and people in all age groups who are physically challenged, even if that means too much time eating donuts in front of the TV.

 

This website has a pretty simple tutorial on how to get started.

Sorry to have generalised - no offence was intended, but I think from my generalisation you can gather what I intended.

Briansnat, please can you point me to the guides you're talking about? If it's the ones I've seen, then I'm still in need of a more proceduralised (if that's a word!) document for reference.

 

The caching itself and the CITO principles, stealth, etc, have all been taken in and are being applied successfully!

It's more a step-by-step guide for the website which would be good!

 

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I've already advised to just go for the 'green' caches rather than multis, puzzle, etc.

 

Cheers again!

 

(edited due to double-line bug - see other thread!)

Edited September 2, 2009 by TheDobbins

[+ras_oscar]

The best tutorial for your parents is you. They taught you to ride a bike and emptied your poopie diapers. Time to return the favor.

[+Harry Dolphin]

And, I want to know what you mean by 'older'!

[+TheDobbins]

And, I want to know what you mean by 'older'!

 

Now come on, Mr Dolphin --- have I not already apologised for generalising....! Time to move on!

[+The Blorenges]

 

Just wondered if anyone has produced a guide for older people on:

 

[*]Geocaching in general...

 

Thanks

 

Recently we were given a copy of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching" (a signed copy, no less ) and I've been browsing through it the last couple of days. It's not specifically for older people but it's a very good introduction to the World of Geocaching.

 

Chapters include: Game basics, How a GPS works, Before you leave home, Playing the Game, Tips & Tricks, Geocache Types and Variations, Travel Bugs, Geocoins and other Trackable items, Choosing a GPS, All About Maps, Computers and Software, Geocaching Groups, Forums and Events, Waymarking/Wherigo/the future of Geocaching.

 

MrsB

[+Isonzo Karst]

It's more a step-by-step guide for the website which would be good!

 

The site has become more and more complex. I think those of us who have been using it for years as all those many links on each and every page have been added, rather take it for granted.

 

I have no brilliant words of wisdom, though I will mention that you could take some time and systematically click all the non-advertising links on some pages - say the Home Page, and your profile page, and a cache page - see what you get!

I do this from time to time.

 

I think learning to search effectively for caches that you'll enjoy is the key to being happy on the site. And with so many in the world, that's gotten complicated. I generally use the Geocaching Google map for this, but that works for me because I already know what the areas of interest are! I have no idea how you'd start with this from scratch, or with broader interests then mine (ie, if it's paved, I'm not caching there).

[+briansnat]

I don't think this applies just to older folks............

I am 84 and my wife Arlene is 83. Have been geocaching since August of 2001. My advice is at first keep it simple. Forget the travel bugs, coins etc. Just look for easy accessable caches. Sign the log and log it online.

I don't think there should be a guide simply for older people. I know 80 year olds who can tackle terrain that

a sedentary 20 year old might not dare. I know 70 year olds who are completely computer literate and can find their way around a website as easily as a teenager.

 

There are people in all groups who are technologically challenge and people in all age groups who are physically challenged, even if that means too much time eating donuts in front of the TV.

 

This website has a pretty simple tutorial on how to get started.

Sorry to have generalised - no offence was intended, but I think from my generalisation you can gather what I intended.

Briansnat, please can you point me to the guides you're talking about? If it's the ones I've seen, then I'm still in need of a more proceduralised (if that's a word!) document for reference.

 

The caching itself and the CITO principles, stealth, etc, have all been taken in and are being applied successfully!

It's more a step-by-step guide for the website which would be good!

 

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I've already advised to just go for the 'green' caches rather than multis, puzzle, etc.

 

Cheers again!

 

(edited due to double-line bug - see other thread!)

 

Just click on the Getting Started tab an there is some good info, including this.

[+ltlpink]

I am 71 so I probably belong to the "Older People" group so I will put in my 2 cents worth.

 

I some times wish I had had someone to show me the ropes when I started but I didnt so i had to figure it out myself. i am fairly new at this so i am still working on it but it is getting easier.

 

My wife is 56 and i know I can out walk her so it isnt just older folks who need help. I did quickly learn to go for the 1/1s and the medium size caches.(I still hate micros but will go after one once and a while) but recommend the easier and larger caches for most "Older" cachers or even for most beginners. However I know a couple of ladies my age that love the harder hides so there you go.

 

I also recommend to any one just starting out that the read thru these forums. I generally spend an hour or so here every evening just browsing. I dont know how often I find an answer to a question I didnt ever know I had.

ltlpink

[+Fuzzywhip]

I too face the effort of teaching my aunt (73) about using geocaching.com

 

She has been coming with me on caching for several years. Just recently, she wanted her own account to keep track of all her 'finds'. So far, I've been entering her logs for her.

 

Then she borrowed one of my old GPSr units (eXplorist 100) and has been learning to use it. At first, I had to explain each step to enter coords (mark) and hunt for caches (goto). Lately, thru practicing, she now can enter and hunt with no or little help from me.

 

In the last month or so, she is the one who asks when we are going caching (and I'm obsessed!) and gets excited about building new caches. She helped me work up the details of a new cache and will probably want her own cache soon.

 

Also, when we go caching, she has started beating me to a few 'finds'. Her geosense in improving.

 

So, it's just a matter of teaching by example. I know that once she has her own computer system to use, she will be able to learn the geocaching web site. Most of the basic features are easy to use. (Reminds me to print out the tutorial for her to read)

[+Arrow42]

Caching for older people...

 

My first though: GC1KQWB "New Grand Bingo"