Bridging the Technological Gap for Seniors

Map fo the US
Posted by Jake Line on

The image above represents age percentage population of those 65 and over in the US, 2013-2017. Image Source: Cenus.org

 

It is no secret that older adults struggle with technology. With the events of COVID-19 and the following lockdowns, many aspects of daily life have transitioned online in some form. Everyday activities such as getting groceries, going to the bank, and seeing loved one all required technology and an internet connection. This change greatly affected older adults who may not have the skills to understand how to use their technology and in turn are unable to connect with their family. Older adults in the "haves" group enjoy more access to virtual social interactions and telehealth services, and more opportunities to secure essential supplies online. Meanwhile, the "have-nots" are at greater risk of social isolation, forgoing medical care, and being without food or other necessary items. (Graham, 2020) In this blog I will be suggesting 4 practices to help with their understanding and use of technology.

Four Key Practices

1)  Play Games

By introducing and playing games with an older adult some skills that they will increase are:

  • Navigating the app.
  • Learning how to log in to the app.
  • Gaining confidence while using a smartphone.

Words with Friends

Words with Friends is the fun, free word game that lets you connect with friends and family while expanding your vocabulary and sharpening your wit. Test your brain power and spell your way to victory!

  

Candy Crush

Candy Crush is a switch and match game that involves moving candies to increase your score, this game can be played alone or with friends. Candy Crush has 2.2 million ratings averaging 4.7 stars on the app store. It is currently holding the #12 spot for puzzle games on the App Store.

  

Euchre 3D

Euchre is a classic card game that is popular among older adults. Euchre 3D is a great way to play a classic game with friends and family. Euchre 3D is the #1 free Euchre card game on the app store! Euchre 3D is also a popular choice for people who enjoy Words with Friends. 

 

All these games are fun to learn and play while staying connected with older adults in your life!

2)  Write Down Passwords and Usernames

This is a skill that I began to use to manage all my account’s usernames and passwords. Everything from my school email to Twitter is written down in a special notebook. This notebook is a great resource for sites that you do not use as much like a bank password or Netflix.

3)  Understand Settings

Navigating the settings can be intimidating, especially if the older adult is new to smartphones. By understanding how to work with the settings they can make their smartphone more efficient for them. An example of this is changing text size. Increasing the text size allows for all the words on the screen to be easier to see.

  

4)  Practice Basic Skills

Some of the most common tech issues older adults have can be solved by simply practicing. If the older adult is struggling to take or look at photos this is a great way to become more confident. Have them:

  • Open the camera app,
  • Take a photo,
  • Open the photos app,
  • View the photo.

These steps will then help them understand the icons they need to click, and where the icons are located on the screen. Once they understand this then they can move onto more advanced skills such as airdrop or sending photos via text or email.

Takeaways

In this blog I make four suggestions for helping older adults with technology. Try to be patient if you are trying to help an older adult understand their smartphone. It can be extremely frustrating for some older people to try to master new technology skills in a matter of days or week. Remember, we usually learn new technology over the years. Put yourself in their shoes. Now how would you like to be assisted, if you were in their position?

References