What Is a VPN and Do Seniors Actually Need One?

The Morning My Dad's Email Got Hijacked at a Hotel

Last spring, my parents flew down to visit my tita in Orlando — their first real trip since my dad moved into assisted living and then, thankfully, got well enough to travel again. They were staying at one of those mid-range hotels near International Drive, the kind with a breakfast buffet and Wi-Fi that asks you to "agree to terms" on a page that looks like it was designed in 2004.

My dad, being my dad, immediately connected to the hotel Wi-Fi and logged into his email. He wanted to forward my mom a confirmation for their restaurant reservation. Normal stuff. But somewhere between the lobby and the elevator, something went sideways. Within two days, three of his contacts got spam emails "from" him — messages with weird links about discount medications.

Was it the hotel Wi-Fi? Honestly, I can't say for certain. It could've been a weak password. It could've been a phishing email he'd clicked weeks earlier (wouldn't be the first time — I've written about scams like that before). But it was the hotel Wi-Fi that made me think: I should've set him up with a VPN.

And then I thought: most people my parents' age have no idea what a VPN even is. Or they've heard the term tossed around and assumed it was something only hackers or tech people use.

So let's talk about it. No jargon. No sales pitch. Just what a VPN actually does, when you might want one, and when you really don't need to bother.

What a VPN Actually Is (the Sealed Envelope Version)

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. But that name is honestly terrible because it tells you nothing useful.

Here's how I explain it to my mom.

Think of your internet connection like sending a postcard through the mail. When you're on regular Wi-Fi — especially public Wi-Fi at a hotel or coffee shop — your information travels kind of like a postcard. Anyone handling it along the way could, in theory, read what's on it. Your browsing activity, the sites you visit, maybe even bits of information you're typing in.

A VPN is like slipping that postcard into a sealed envelope before you send it. The information still gets where it's going, but nobody in between can peek at it. The VPN creates a private, encrypted tunnel between your device and the internet.

That's it. That's what it does.

It doesn't make you invisible. It doesn't make you invincible. It doesn't stop you from clicking a bad link in a scam text message. It's one tool that does one specific thing: it keeps your connection private, especially on networks you don't control.

And here's something worth knowing — about 85% of websites today already use HTTPS, which is its own form of encryption (that little padlock icon in your browser). So even without a VPN, most of your browsing is already somewhat protected. A VPN adds another layer on top of that. Think of it like wearing a seatbelt in a car that already has airbags. The airbags are great. The seatbelt still matters.

When You Probably Don't Need a VPN

This is the part most tech articles skip, and it bugs me. There's a whole industry built around making people feel like they're in danger every second they're online. Fear sells subscriptions.

So let me be straight with you.

At home, on your own Wi-Fi? You probably don't need a VPN. Your home router is password-protected (it is, right?). Your internet provider handles the connection. It's about as safe as it gets for everyday use.

For online banking? Your bank's app and website already use heavy encryption. A VPN on top of that is like putting a padlock on a safe that's already inside a vault. It doesn't hurt, but it's not the thing keeping your money secure.

To stop scams and phishing? A VPN won't help here. If someone sends you a fake email pretending to be Medicare and you click the link and type in your information, a VPN can't save you from that. That's a completely different problem — and one I've spent a lot of time thinking about since my mother almost fell for a phone scam a few years back.

To "speed up" your internet? No. In fact, VPNs typically slow your connection down a bit. Norton's own testing showed speeds can drop by up to 50%, depending on the provider. You're adding a stop between you and the website, so things take a little longer.

I'm telling you all this because I don't want you spending money on something out of fear when it's not solving the actual problem. The actual problems are weak passwords, phishing emails, and scam calls. A VPN doesn't fix any of those.

When a VPN Actually Makes Sense for Seniors

Okay, so when should you use one? Here are the situations where I genuinely recommend it.

Hotel and airport Wi-Fi. This is the big one. Public networks — the kind where you just click "Connect" and agree to some terms — are open. That means other people on the same network could, with the right tools, see your traffic. A VPN closes that door.

Coffee shops and restaurants. Same deal. That Panera Bread Wi-Fi is convenient, but it's shared with every stranger in the building. If you're checking email or logging into anything, a VPN is a smart move.

Libraries and community centers. I know a lot of retirees who spend time at the library using the free Wi-Fi. It's a shared network. A VPN keeps your browsing private.

Senior living and assisted living facilities. This one hits close to home. The shared Wi-Fi in my dad's facility is exactly like hotel Wi-Fi — one network, dozens of users, no guarantee of who's on it. If your parent lives in a place like that and uses the communal Wi-Fi daily, a VPN is worth setting up.

Telehealth appointments while traveling. If you're a snowbird — spending winters in Florida or Arizona — and you've got a telehealth appointment with your doctor back home, a VPN on public Wi-Fi protects that conversation. Medical information is personal. Treat it that way.

International travel. Some countries restrict access to certain websites and apps. A VPN can get around those blocks so you can still use your email, video-call your grandkids, or access your banking app normally.

If you never use public Wi-Fi, honestly? You might not need a VPN at all. And that's fine. But if any of those scenarios sound like your life, keep reading.

How to Pick One (and Why Free VPNs Are Usually a Trap)

Here's where I have to give you the real talk.

There are hundreds of VPN apps out there, and roughly 60% of free VPNs have been found to collect or share your data with advertisers or third parties, according to a 2025 analysis from Tom's Guide. That's not a typo. The free product is free because you're the product. Your browsing data, your habits, your location — that's what they're selling.

Even worse, fake VPN apps — ones designed purely to steal your information — increased 2.5 times in just the third quarter of 2024, according to Kaspersky research. So downloading a random free VPN from the App Store could actually make you less safe than using no VPN at all.

Here's what I recommend instead:

If you want free and safe: ProtonVPN has a genuinely free tier. No ads, no data selling, independently audited. It's slower than the paid options and you're limited to a few server locations, but it's legitimate. This is the only free VPN I'd install on my parents' phones.

If you want paid (and it's worth it):

• NordVPN — About $3.39/month on a 2-year plan. Reliable, fast, easy app. This is what I use.
• Surfshark — About $1.99/month on a 2-year plan. Budget-friendly and lets you use it on unlimited devices, which is great for families.
• ExpressVPN — About $4.99/month on their long-term plan. Premium option, very simple interface.

All three work on iPhones, Android phones, iPads, and computers. All three have apps that are about as complicated as a weather app. You open it, you tap one button, and you're connected.

One more thing for Apple users: If you're already paying for iCloud+ (which starts at $0.99/month), you have something called iCloud Private Relay built in. It's not a full VPN, but it encrypts your Safari browsing and hides your IP address. It might be enough for casual use, and you might already have it without knowing.

Setting It Up (This Takes About 5 Minutes)

I know. "Setting it up" are three words that make a lot of people close the browser tab. But believe me, this is one of the easier tech things you'll do. Easier than setting up a new email account. Easier than setting up an iPhone from scratch, that's for sure.

On an iPhone or iPad:

1. Open the App Store (the blue icon with the "A" made of sticks)
2. Search for the VPN you chose — type "NordVPN" or "ProtonVPN" or whichever
3. Tap "Get" and let it download
4. Open the app and create an account (email and password)
5. The app will ask permission to add a "VPN configuration" — tap Allow. This is normal. It's how the phone knows to route your connection through the VPN
6. Tap the big Connect button. That's it. You'll see a small "VPN" icon appear at the top of your screen when it's active

On an Android phone:

1. Open the Google Play Store
2. Search for your VPN by name
3. Tap "Install"
4. Open the app and create your account
5. It will ask to set up a VPN connection — tap OK
6. Tap Connect

Don't worry if the app asks you to choose a server location. For most people, the default (usually "Fastest" or "Recommended") is exactly right. You don't need to pick a specific country unless you're traveling internationally and want to appear like you're back home.

And here's a tip I always give my parents: you don't need to leave it on all the time. Turn it on when you're at Starbucks, the airport, or the hotel. Turn it off when you're home. Think of it like sunscreen — you put it on when you're going outside, not when you're sitting on your couch.

Three Real People, Three Real Uses

I want to paint a picture because I think it helps.

The snowbird. My parents' friend Tito Jun spends November through March in a rented condo in Sarasota. He uses the building's shared Wi-Fi for everything — email, FaceTime with his apo back in Michigan, even his telehealth visits with his cardiologist. I set him up with NordVPN on his iPad last Thanksgiving. He taps one button before he opens Safari. That's his whole routine now.

The library regular. A woman in my mom's prayer group — she goes to the Dearborn Public Library three days a week. She reads the news, checks email, sometimes does a little online shopping. All on the library's public Wi-Fi. ProtonVPN Free is perfect for someone like her. No cost, no commitment, real protection.

The traveler. My cousin went to the Philippines last Christmas and couldn't access her Chase banking app because of regional restrictions. A VPN connected to a U.S. server fixed it instantly. Five-minute install at the airport in Manila, and she was checking her balance before the Grab ride home.

None of these people are "tech people." They're regular folks who needed one thing and got it done in a few minutes.

It's Just One Tool — and That's Okay

Here's what I want you to walk away with: a VPN is not magic internet armor. It won't stop every threat. It won't prevent you from getting scam calls, and it won't block phishing emails. I've written about text message scams and AI voice cloning scams — those are different problems that need different solutions.

But a VPN does one thing well. It keeps your internet connection private when you're on a network you don't own. And for the roughly 4% of VPN users who are 55 or older — according to a 2025 report from Security.org — that number should probably be higher. Seniors lost $4.9 billion to fraud in 2024, per the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. Not all of that is preventable with a VPN. But some of it is.

If you use public Wi-Fi regularly — at a hotel, a coffee shop, a library, or a shared living facility — a VPN is worth the five minutes it takes to set up. ProtonVPN Free costs nothing. The paid ones cost less than a single latte per month.

And if you never leave your home Wi-Fi? You're probably fine without one. Seriously. Don't let anyone scare you into buying something you don't need.

I set up my dad's VPN on his phone the week after the Orlando incident. It took four minutes. He doesn't think about it — he just taps the button when he's not at home. That's the goal. Not to become a cybersecurity expert. Just to close one more door that doesn't need to be open.

If you've got a parent or grandparent who travels, or who uses Wi-Fi outside the house, maybe block off ten minutes this weekend. Bring coffee. Set it up together. The hard part is deciding to do it — the actual setup is the easy part.

And if you found this helpful, you might also want to check out my list of the best free apps for seniors in 2026. A few of them pair really nicely with what we talked about today.