Social Sharing

But it’s a well-intentioned nosiness for the Toronto senior who, like any devoted grandmother, just wants to know what her grandchildren are up to.

Kronenberg regularly logs onto her computer and goes to Facebook to find out about their comings and goings, and in doing so, has become one of an increasing number of Canadian seniors turning to computers and social media to stay connected with the world around them.

The New Retirement: Seniors in Canada

This week, CBC News launches a series on life for people 60 years and older. Canadians are living longer than ever before, a fact that is radically changing the meaning of retirement. Many people see it as a time of reinvention, a time to try new things.

All week long, CBC News will be publishing stories on seniors who are doing remarkable things in the so-called twilight years.

“I want to check up on my grandchildren … I want to see what they’re doing, their girlfriends, their boyfriends, what nonsense they’re up to,” says Kronenberg, a resident at Forest Hill Retirement Living in north Toronto.

Figures from Statistics Canada show that the number of Canadians 75 years of age and older who are online grew from five per cent in 2000 to 27 per cent in 2012.