(CBS) Today’s seniors aren't just sitting by the pool and playing shuffleboard. Many of them are surfing the Net. In fact, according to a recent survey, about a quarter of retiree households are online.

Regina Lewis, AOL's online adviser and author of the best-selling book "Wired in a Week," visits us to talk about what's driving the phenomenon and how seniors can get the most out of their online experience.

Did you know?
Active online elder Americans are averaging more than 20 hours a week online.

41% of online seniors have been online between 1 to 3 years; 48% more than 4 years.

93% of older Americans online say the Internet has improved their lives overall.

63% say the Internet has brought their families closer together.
(Source: AOL Roper Starch Study of Online Seniors 55 & over)

The following are some Web sites Regina recommends for seniors to Live Better Longer.

1. Communication
   Emails, chat rooms etc.
   
   Online communication is bringing generations closer together. The ability to send a quick email with pictures to a grandchild across the country or to an adult child halfway around the world has impacted life in a profound way.
   
   
2. Personal Finance
   Quicken.com Retirement Planner
   
   Planning for retirement is big online activity for soon-to-be-seniors. There are a lot of terrific tools online such as Quicken.com's Retirement Planner. It starts by asking a few simple questions including your age and your desired retirement age and from there it helps you build a plan. Many top line tools are free. Once you sort through some of the basics, which are a quick and easy to do online, you can get to upgrade to premium services. You'll probably find yourself upping the desired retirement age once you run the numbers.
   
   
3. Retirement Real Estate
   Realtor.com
   
   If you're looking for the perfect retirement place, sites like realtor.com are good resource. Even if you're not close to retirement, it may be smart to start looking and get a feel for the market.
   
   
4. Travel
   Priceline.com –flights and Mapquest.com -road trips
   
   Seniors are big online travel planners whether they're looking to fly somewhere or hop in an RV and take road trip. You can plan stops along the way.
   
   Seniors often have an advantage when it comes to booking online travel at sites like Priceline.com because flexibility is the key to getting good deals. The opening question on Priceline.com is "How Flexible Are You?" Seniors who enter open-ended dates and can go anytime are scoring some unbelievable bargains.
   
   
5. Health
   BenefitsCheckUp.org
   
   Even though online resources are a complement to and not a substitute for good clinical care, the Internet offers a wealth of information for seniors looking to make informed healthcare decisions and make the most out of their time during doctor visits. Seniors can order and renew prescriptions online. And, the National Council on Aging has developed a fabulous site to help sort through medical benefits. For example: Billions of dollars are going un-spent because seniors are not claiming Federal & State benefits because they don't even know they have them.
   
   
6. Volunteerism
   Networkforgood.org
   
   There is a giant database of volunteer and charitable giving opportunities. You can search by zip code or interest. For seniors who aren't able to leave the house, there are even "virtual volunteer" programs like eBuddies and other mentoring programs which are a great way for seniors to contribute their time and wisdom.

© MMII, CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Back To Top