Couple of things, no2thesame:
Here in the US, you're either a child, a young person, middle-aged, or a senior citizen, the last sometimes called "seniors," "older people," "the elderly," or "that cranky guy who yells at kids to get off his lawn."
Well, I can't fault Microsoft too much for giving software to seniors. Sure, it's one of their ways of keeping their market share, but whoever wrote the letter is probably right in saying that the seniors group as a whole wouldn't be too open to change. People in general aren't open to change, and when new or unfamiliar technology comes along they tend to resist it, especially if it's difficult or confusing.
I have a lot of problems with Microsoft, in fact I hate the company, but I guess I would say the answer you got from the Seniors Club isn't too surprising; I personally don't find it particularly disturbing.
You might want to suggest to your LUG member who's also a member of the Seniors Club that he approach members of the Seniors to see if any of them are interested in Linux. Older people are as diverse as any group, so I imagine you would get some takers. If you can't get Mohammed to the mountain, etc.
With regard to what Blue Mage wrote, I have a few comments. Women and men are at parity in terms of I.Q., and I know quite a few young women who are more computer savvy than the average guy. The stereotype of the computer nerd is male, but I think things have changed enough to make the stereotype untrue. So the "poor little girl" being taken advantage of by the smooth salesman ... pretty sexist, probably happens just as much to guys as girls. We're generally naive when we're young, but everybody has to learn sooner or later that sales people always lie, and will say anything to close a sale.
Having said that, in my experience Mac people can be pretty pushy. One time I was at the grocery store, wearing my Tux cap, and some guy with a big blue X on his t-shirt came up to me and started talking to me about OS X. How I could run X on OS X. How Apple hardware is superior to PC hardware. How Apple tech support is the best in the world. Even when I told him that I build my own machines from off the shelf parts, he wouldn't let up. Finally I told him that I wasn't interested and had to go. Kind of annoying, but in a way I understand since for so long Mac people took a real beating from Windows people.