Powering up: How older adults can engage with technology

“We just rolled up our sleeves and did it,” said my mother-in-law. Words usually reserved for tasks like cleaning the bathroom, she used for the topof-the-line iPhones she and my fatherin-law acquired for themselves last December. With that purchase they instantly transitioned from “landline” to “smartphone” users, but what this means is different for everyone. For those who are keen on using technology, the world is filled with exciting possibilities. For those who are less inclined, all these gadgets can feel overwhelming. Here are some things to think about when “rolling up” one’s sleeves and engaging with technology: Focus on what you want to do: With so many choices it’s easy to get sidetracked or to think we need something overly complicated. Focus on what you want to do, then explore technologies that help you do that. Leverage your friends and family: Out of necessity, many people’s technology proficiency has increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Talk with friends and family about what has worked for them, to get ideas of what might work for you. Make the learning curve less steep by asking someone you know to help you get started. One size does not fit all: Finding the right technology is like buying a pair of shoes. There are different shoes for different tasks, sizes and tastes. Finding your best fit with technology may take patience and trying a few options before you find what works for you. You can learn what you don’t know: There are online tutorials about how to do almost anything. YouTube is a wealth of narrated step-by-step “how to” videos that you can pause and rewind as many times as you like. Don’t be afraid to play: It’s harder to break technology now than it used to be. Trial and error is one of the best ways to learn what something does. If you feel things are getting out of hand, take a break and start over. Remember, you don’t need to know everything a device or program does to use it. Before COVID-19, my in-laws got iPhones for a sense of security and connectedness. The pandemic has incentivized them to try new things. They play their weekly bridge game online, order groceries to their doorstep, actively use the family’s realtime text chat and have celebrated birthdays and read grandkids bedtime stories over video calls. They will surely continue to use some of these newfound skills post-COVID-19. With so many technologies to choose from, there is likely something that will work for you — imagine what you would like to do and go for it!