Friday May 15 will be the eighth annual Silver Surfers' Day in the UK, a day packed with free activities and training aimed at the estimated 9.2 million over-55s in the UK without internet access.

The truth is that for older people, being online often makes more sense than it does for the young. Simple things such as online shopping can transform lives, while e-mail, messaging and chat can help maintain contact with friends and family all around the world.

Here, Gill Adams, one of the organisers of Silver Surfers' Day, gives her top ten reasons why all older people should get connected.

1. The internet makes tricky, or mobility-dependent tasks simpler: there's no need to go out and post a letter when you have e-mail.

2. When you finally have time and head-space to follow your nose, the internet is curiosity's best friend.

3. It is available 24/7 – who needs to sleep regular hours when there is no work to get up for?

4. The internet helps make and maintain vital relationships – Digital Unite (which organises Silver Surfers' Day) has a current project called "Schools for Silver Surfers", where youngsters in school team up with local sheltered housing schemes to "tutor" their elders. This has benefits for young and old alike, and helps make society a safer, more cohesive place – simply because age-groups that often "miss" each other, start to appreciate each other.

5. The internet saves you money – recent Post Office research shows a potential saving of £840 per year – that's a lot of pension money.

6. The internet levels the "disability/age" playing-field – who knows how old you are or how silver you are, or which bits of you don't quite work any more, when you're on the web?

7. It is "personal" – no one else creates your communication world but you. Too often older people can become dependent on friends, family and even strangers for transport, letter-posting, bill-paying, or meeting new people, after a lifetime of independence and control.

8. Introduced correctly, learners "cross a fear-barrier" – this journey has wider benefits in terms of confidence. This can be particularly true for disabled people helped to use assistive tech – but is true for anyone. One good learning experience leads to another, and another, and another.

9. Brings health benefits, for example "self-health" websites, but improved contact can also ease depression/isolation.

10. Enhances sense of individuals' personal value within an organisation (whether through finding "civic voice" in local government or becoming active on a residents' committee or neighbourhood watch). E-mail/online polling/voting can make small voices "louder". This has implications for society in general if older people are more easily able to participate in campaigns, local and central politics, civic stimulation, "active" societies in general.

For more information on Silver Surfers' Day, or to get involved, head to http://silversurfers.digitalunite.com

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