When my business partner Lynn Peel and I started Maine Senior Guide it was because we wanted to gather all the products, services and resources for Maine seniors and their families into one easy-access website.  People asked us if we thought Maine seniors would use a website to find information.  Absolutely! And along the way, we discovered that many Maine seniors are actively involved in on-line communities, or keeping up with the friends and grandkids on Facebook.

Want to join Facebook yourself? To get in on the fun, here’s how to join Facebook in 5 easy steps.

Step 1: type Facebook into the search box on your browser.  Click on Welcome to Facebook and you’ll get to the Facebook site. That’s where you’ll sign up for Facebook, which requires your first name/last name, email and a password you make up, plus gender and birthdate.  The email has to be real, since Facebook sends a confirmation back to it. By real, I mean you can’t use “info” or ‘webmaster” or another generic term, and it has to be a working account.

Step 2: go the email account you used and confirm your Facebook email.

Step 3: Back at Facebook, fill in the settings under profile with appropriate information.  If you wish, upload a photograph, preferably of yourself.

Step 4: Go to the privacy settings under account and decide which parts of your profile you want viewed by everyone, and which should be limited to your friends.

Step 5: find friends. You can search for friends individually in the search box, or ask for friends via school or workplaces past or present. Send friend requests. Let people know what’s on your mind or what you’re doing by clicking on status and writing something, and voila! you’re on Facebook!

Bonus step: you’ll find a help center under account that is filled with helpful information on managing your Facebook account, protecting your privacy and connecting with friends. Read the instructions and you’ll learn a lot about maximizing your time investment on Facebook.

Check out our new website, Maine Senior Guide, to explore products, services and resources geared towards Maine seniors. There are lots of interesting articles in the library, information from expert bloggers, and an “Ask Lynn” section where you can pose your problems or questions for personal answers. And while you’re on the site, be sure and “friend” us on the Facebook!

Lynn and Deborah