October 16, 2002

Senior Corner provides bytes of information

Website has thousands of links for seniors

By LISA PERKINS
Herald staff writer

      Michael Sheehan has a goal - to provide seniors in northern Michigan, and those that care for them, with as much information as possible. That was the impetus for the Senior Corner website Sheehan created under the sponsorship of the Traverse Area District Library.
      "It started out real plain jane," said Sheehan of the website that now has thousands of links and gets an average of 400 hits per day.
      "When we started this eight years ago, the Internet was new. There were only about 100 public access sites," Sheehan noted.
      Today the site contains links to information including articles on subjects of interest to seniors like "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren," "Aging and Your Eyes," "Fire Prevention," and "Locating Eldercare."
      Local information includes hundreds of services and organizations available to seniors in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties. A "Family Caregiver's Bulletin Board," "Respite Care Guide," and guide to local government agencies are among the listings.
      Sheehan, a retired English teacher from the City Colleges of Chicago, spends hours searching the web for new links to add to the Senior Corner site. However, he is always looking for more local information.
      "It's good now but it could be better," Sheehan said.
      "I'm always looking for public input. I really need people to let me know about programs that are available for seniors. I need eyes and ears in the community."
      Sheehan's interest in serving the local senior population goes beyond cyberspace. He serves on the advisory board of the Bay Area Senior Advocates, BASA, and has been appointed to the State Advisory Committee on Aging. He also teaches classes at the Traverse City Senior Center helping seniors learn how to access and navigate the Internet.
      "There has been more and more interest in the classes over the years," Sheehan noted. "The classes help seniors break the cycle of isolation. That is what this is all about."
      For more information on the Senior Corner, visit www.seniors.tcnet.org. For more information on computer and other classes available at the Traverse City Senior Center, call 922-4911.