In a report published in the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, Dr. Sara Czaja and her colleague Dr. Joseph Sharit find that older adults, provided with some computer experience, were able to adapt and use computers just as were younger adults.  They note that a popular stereotype is that older adults aren't comfortable with technology, and that designers of technology often fail to consider older adults.

In their studies, people who ranged in age from 20 to 75 years performed several computer tasks over a 3-day period.  Although older people were less comfortable with the tasks and felt less in control, evidence accrued that attitudes toward computers could be modified no matter what the age of the participant was.

Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences 1998, Vol. 53B, No. 5, pp. P329-P340.