Removing boxes is one way the postal service has reacted to the decline. After this round, about 2,300 boxes will be left in Baltimore district, she said.
To determine which boxes should be removed, the USPS conducted a survey at the beginning of the month. Any box that receives fewer than 22 pieces of mail a day will be taken away, Sauter said. The boxes were posted with a seven-day notice that also includes the closest alternative.
Sauter said the postal service will maintain at least one blue box within every square mile of residential area. But Ohlverter said that's too far for older residents: "I've got replacement knees, and there's a lot of people who can't do that."
The postal service says that even though high gas prices significantly affect the mail industry - each penny increase costs the postal service $8 million annually - fuel isn't the primary reason why the boxes are going away.
"The postal service is always looking for ways to be more efficient," Sauter said. "However, this is not the reason the collection boxes are being removed. They are not being utilized."
These days, customers can simply get online to buy stamps, print labels and even put a stop on their mail when they are away. In addition, residents can arrange for outgoing mail to be picked up from their doorstep.
But some seniors say they are reluctant to embrace such options. They have concerns about identity theft, a crime for which they are often targeted, and don't feel comfortable leaving their mail lying outside. Some aren't adept at making the shift to using the Internet for shopping and services.
"Unfortunately, there aren't many resources available to this particular segment of the population at this point in time," said Wisdom, whose courses address the "digital divide" and what can be done to close it.
There also are financial matters unique to seniors that play a role, she said. "A fixed income is not conducive to the costs of cell phones and Internet providers, let alone the equipment needed. It's discouraging."
However, progress is being made, experts say, adding that more and more, seniors are growing to accept technology because of easier-to-use devices and because the march toward a more digital society won't slow any time soon.
"As we age, we might grumble about a ... lack of faith in the latest and greatest digital advances, but the use of technology is such that even seniors today understand and appreciate its foothold into all aspects of our daily lives," she said.
