Technology and the Older Person
If you are reading this, I already know one or two things about you. Firstly, that you are (probably) over 60. You are (probably but not necessarily) female, and lastly, that you at least have some grip on technology.
We’re Online After All
And a lot of us spend a lot of time there. I could not now live without email, the web, YouTube, online banking and shopping, booking train tickets and the odd streaming service. I could not publish my books without a good deal of knowledge of technology. I communicate with my friends mostly online because I’m not that keen on using the phone. Nowadays, it seems intrusive, I feel I almost have to ask permission to call someone.
That Is Not the Case for Many Older People
I do know people who don’t own a smartphone or use the internet at all. I have absolutely no idea how they manage their daily lives, but they obviously do because for the most part – I assume – they have chosen to live that way. These are the people nowadays who I would argue are being discriminated against.
They are the people who find it difficult to buy a train ticket because so many ticket offices here in the UK are being closed. They are the people who rely on actual bank buildings and post offices because they do all their banking in the old-fashioned way, face to face, and banks and post offices are disappearing fast.
They get off their backsides and go to actual shops to do their shopping. Moreover, they don’t spend/waste half their time scrolling through social media.
You Could Argue These Are the People Who Are Most in Tune with the World Around Them
Who aren’t so glued to their mobiles on public transport that they fail to notice the elderly/infirm/pregnant person standing right next to them who could do with a seat. Who use old-fashioned printed maps to find their way around, so if their GPS fails or gets confused, they can still figure out how to get to their destination. Who aren’t so totally plugged into something-or-other as they walk down the street, they can still hear the birds singing.
And If They Do Get Lost, They Are Not Averse to Asking for Directions
Even men! (Well… ) I cannot figure out Google Maps for the life of me. I was standing in the middle of a six-road junction in Elephant and Castle recently (in London) figuring out how to find a theatre and the helpful Google lady told me to ‘turn left’. Eventually, I found an actual person who knew exactly where it was and – well, Bob’s your uncle!
Technology Serves Many Purposes
Of course, it does. I could not publish or publicise my books without it. I could not submit my tax return or transfer money to and from bank accounts without it. All freelancers have to have some kind of techie knowledge, if only to know how to create a website or use social media.
Technology Saves Time
So they say. But does it? People seem to be working longer and longer hours these days, and it’s not clear whether productivity has increased accordingly. That could be because the time they are saving online is being diverted, also online, to endless scrolling through cat and toddler videos (or are they called reels nowadays?) on social media.
Is Technology Responsible for a Rise in the Crime Rate?
I cannot be the only person who feels tempted to vent my frustration with a ‘computer that says no’ (a reference to a character in a TV series called Little Britain) by committing violence on something or someone – anything or anyone.
If you’re of the generation who were not taught these things, you pick them up – or try to – as you go along, in your own random way. Hence the frustration. There was a time long, long ago when pretty well everyone understood the machines and equipment they used. Car owners knew how to fix the engine and change a tyre. Nowadays you need a degree in IT to do just that.
My Two-Year-Old Grandson Knows What YouTube Is
And how to find it on my phone. He knows his way around my phone better than I do. Should I be worried? Probably not. I can’t wait for him to be old enough to act as my tech advisor.
The author and her bête noire (Sketch by Anna de Polnay).
Let’s Have a Conversation:
What frustrations do you have with technology? How easy is it for you to get around the internet and various apps on your phone? Do you think technology has made our life easier or to the contrary?
Tags Technology
Technology ahhh a curse and a blessing. Technology is morphing at warp speed and the Boomer generation is on their own for learning about the changes at warp speed. It’s extremely difficult for most (even the younger folks) – how is one to learn? Especially Boomers who have been thrown into tech – without the benefit of the educational system. I am a boomer who grew up in a household that embraced any and all new technology – yes it existed 60 years ago – in some way- shape and form. For me – what a blessing to have no fear about tech – the ability to embrace tech – and more. I concur it’s the massive shift to a technology first world discriminatory for the elderly. Especially with regard to medical care! I know of so many people who are receiving less than care because they are “lost” trying to use a robust EMR platform. What’s fair about that? I can go on and on…. trust me it’s not that they don’t want to use tech – the tech revolution has been a tidal wave of TMI for millions. Step into their shoes for a moment, and empathize. I’m one person who “ sees” the struggle. What do I do? I offer my assistance to my family members or anyone else I know who is struggling with tech. I love walking into a tech store 🍎 where I am “ invisible” to the staff and who immediately assume I know nothing about tech. Surprise! I recently sold my tech company (data collection hardware and software); that was founded by my tech genius Dad. How lucky was I to have learned tech not from college – it didn’t exist – but through curiosity, a thirst for knowledge and a hands on education – starting in my home sixty years ago. My father was a visionary and I am grateful for that. I will continue to share my tech knowledge with kindness and patience.
Great article that brought me insight! Thank you!
There are some people who just cannot cope with technology, for instance my brother and his wife. They are 73 and have had to get my sister to negotiate phone/TV/internet packages for them as they end up getting the worst deals. Online banking is a no-no as they assume they’ll have their accounts cleared by a scammer. No android phones or apps either and they have difficulty with text messages. They don’t understand why they can’t go and pay certain bills face to face at an office any more and you cannot explain why to them. If they forget a password they don’t know how to change it, so they pay an IT guy to come and sort it for them which is about £60 call out charge.
Last year my sister in law tried to book a holiday cottage online and aborted it as it required an OTO code to a phone to complete the transaction, so they ended up not going on holiday.
They went to classes at a local school years ago for basic computer and internet skills, it was free and taught by 17 year olds from the school who were taking computer studies before going on to university. Sadly it just went out of one ear and out of the other, they didn’t listen or do the home practice. My husband is a software developer and they used to ring him up all the time when we lived close by, but he eventually lost patience with them and said he was far too busy with work. My other brother is late 70s and very tech savvy, he has given up with them as well. I do often wonder if part of it is laziness to learn because they know they can get someone to sort their problems out. Exasperating!
My frustration is there are no classes to learn how to use a computer, for seniors .
Try online sources like YouTube which has a mine of videos on different topics. My husband is a software developer and even he uses it for tutorials about the software systems he configures.
I don’t know where you are but in Britain there are often sessions about using computers in places like public libraries. I didn’t get my first PC until I was a mature student in 1994 (it came second hand through a friend with an IT company). Prior to that I booked sessions at my local library for things like word processing.
Good luck finding something.
Try your local library. They sometimes offer instructional classes.
AARP offers computer classes for seniors. There’s an upcoming class about “the cloud” that I will take as I don’t know how to access it etc. I have learned that if I google a certain topic that I have issues with I can find the answer online – some times it takes me a few tries to figure it out but it’s worth the effort.
I am 76 and have worked in technology most of my adult life. Want to make me happy? Buy me new software as a gift! However, I see the way technology and smart phones have NOT brought us together but have distanced us. I see young people at tables in cafes with friends and they are all on their phones. People cannot effectively communicate face to face any longer. They are more interested in documenting in photos rather than being in the present. OTOH, I do my banking online, do Zoom, etc. etc. I think it is a double-edged sword and I have no solution to offer. It is just frustrating.
Sandra, I agree! I’m 70 and use all the bells and whistles, but I am amazed how the younger folks struggle with one-on-one conversations. Another thing that amazes me is seeing people walk down busy streets, (I live in Philly) with their noses in the phone. Aren’t they afraid of tripping, dog poop:) or someone boinking them on the head? I have no solutions either!
I am with Bella because I, too am frustrated with people who say “I don’t need to learn something new” or “i don’t have an email address”. It will NEVER be 1960 again. I am 74 years old and am still working as a business coach and loving it, so I need to know about all the technological advancements and tools to help entrepreneurs reach their goals.I have to help some of the 30 and 40 year olds set up their automations. I also have a entrepreneurial program specifically for entrepreneuers who ar 50 years old and older in partnership with AARP
I like Pam’s comment beccause I think technology is great. If I don’t know how to use it I learn pretty quickly. I am reading the book “Breaking The Age Code” and one of the premises in the book is that YOUR attitude toward getting older also impacts how you age and how you feel as you age. I walk a lot to get cardio, I still participate in book clubs (You saw the movie, right,LOL) and socialize with people at church and at home. Life is worth living.to the fullest..in every way possible.