If you are in your seventies you were just a kid when television became available. If you are like me, you probably remember how you soon became the expert who your parents turned to when they couldn’t get the darn TV set to work properly? You probably also had to help them figure out how to get the new fangled tape player, stereo and then later the DVD player/recorder to behave properly. We were the techies!
Not any longer. Our kids and their kids are way ahead of us. Sometimes I don’t even know what they are talking about, let alone be able to have a serious conversation with them about things like Facebook, Twitter, the Cloud, the X Box, and Google Glass. When did all that happen anyway?
The advances in the world of electronics have been rapid and they seem to be increasing in speed all the time. Our tablets, lap tops and desk tops have more memory capacity and speed of performance than the multi-million dollar mainframes that took up whole office floors and were the pride of IBM and others in what seems like only a short time ago.
Seniors have been turning to the use of technology gadgets in growing numbers. In most countries more than fifty percent are now “online,” many have iPads or kindles, and most are now using cell phones to stay connected.
The reasons for those who have resisted adapting to these useful technologies are varied. To begin, talking with technology nerds is difficult. They seem to use a whole different language. Instruction manuals are often written in poor English. Figuring out what equipment meets your needs can be daunting. Then, when you get the stuff home you have to figure out how to set it up and then how to make it work. Of course, there are also the “upgrades” that come through cyberspace and you have to download and install. These and other frustrations can easily lead to a closed minded, almost phobic attitude about technological tools. No wonder so many seniors still resist it.
Still, if you can afford a computer, and the costs have dropped significantly, it’s a great tool to be used to help you lead a good quality life. Even if you can’t afford one, most public libraries have multiple computers available for community members’ uses. Most communities of any size also now have some sort of centre where seniors can learn what they need to know to get started and stay capable of using the technology they require. Further, most senior retirement villages now provide free access to computers for residents.
So, why bother? To start with most any information you may want can be obtained by pushing a few buttons on your computer. Want to know what health issues may lurk behind some symptomatic condition you are experiencing? Want to check the weather? Need to find out how your investments are doing? If you are a sports fan, you probably want to know how well your teams are doing? You name it, you can get the information without leaving home. All it takes is knowing how to use Google or some other search engine to find the information you need.
Shopping becomes much easier if you have a computer. Buying “online” brings the goods of the world right into your home. Amazon and eBay are just two of many such sites and most large retailers have their own sites you can visit online. I particularly like the ability to buy books on line. I get them instantly, with no delivery charge, and at a fraction of the price for buying a hardback copy. Once I have them I can download them onto my e-reader device and take them with me wherever I travel, with no weight issues involved.
Best of all, for me, is staying connected with others I care about. I can send and receive emails at no cost, subscribe to a very low priced phone service that works through my computer so I can make calls to most anywhere in the world for very little. Most exciting, I use Skype to have regular visits with family members who live half way around the world. We see and hear each other, which significantly breaks down the fact that we live so far apart. We stay in touch and we do so at no cost!
When we were kids, we were the techies. Don’t be afraid of getting back on the bandwagon so you can use the extraordinary advances that have occurred in technology over the decades. There is so much to be gained and the effort is no where near as great as the doubters would have us believe. Talk about it with those of your friends who have figured it out and are reaping the rewards from using such tools. They can help you decide what you need, where to get it, and how to use it. Best of all, once you get your equipment you can turn to the real techies for help—your grandkids!
By Mike Milstein. Read more here
Mike is the author of Resilient Aging: Making the Most of Your Older Years. Available on Amazon, Kindle version and paper back.
redMGB - 9 years ago
Yes – make an effort – treat a computer/tablet/smartphone as a puzzle. We all know that puzzles are good for the brain. Also make sure you buy a suitable device. Tablet/smartphones are simpler than using a Windows, or Mac device. Perhaps consider a Chromebook if you want a simpler device in a laptop. Lots of choices out there – get some advice (from multiple people as most ‘experts’ – me included – are biased to the technology we know best).