MILLENNI-UMM

‘Millennial’ adults aged 25 to 34 are baffled by things older folk find easy

THEY are a dab hand at all things online but Millennials are outshone by older adults when it comes to “traditional” life skills.

A study has revealed over-55s can beat them at all sorts of simple tasks from basic mental arithmetic to ironing, sewing and first aid.

Some 79% of over-55s can do their times tables in their heads compared with only 41% of 25 to 34-year-olds.

Health insurer Bupa found odd jobs taken for granted by over-55s, such as rewiring a plug, baffle most Millennials. Nearly twice as many can change a car tyre compared with the younger generation and 34% can fix a bike chain compared with 21% of Millennials.

Surprisingly only 28% of younger folk can polish their shoes properly while 77% of over-55s found it no problem.

Again 77% of oldies know how to use cutlery in the right order at a posh dinner, against just 39% of the iphone generation. Those raised pre-internet are also nearly twice as likely to spell correctly without using spell-checkers.

They are also trump the younger ones at writing formal letters, removing stains, map reading and identifying birds, plants and flowers. Some 87% of Millennials wished they had more practical skills, without having to turn to the internet for help. The poll, ahead of National Care Home Open Day on Saturday, found 70% would like to learn more from older generations and 83% felt both groups could teach each other.

Joan Elliott, managing director at Bupa Care Homes, said: “There’s so much we can learn from older generations, there’s a real danger that we’re losing valuable life skills

“Thankfully these things are easy to pass between generations, we just need to find time to start the conversations.”