Senior citizens aren’t resistive to technology. A senior citizen will adopt a technology if he or she sees that it serves some useful purpose.
On a flight to San Jose, California, some fifteen years ago, I sat writing an article. The fellow seated next to me on the airplane watched intently as I typed on my laptop computer. Finally, he said, “My friends tell me I ought to get one of those computers and learn how to use it.”
I replied with the obvious question, “Why don’t’ you?”
He answered, “Because it’s too late. I’m over 50 now, and I’m not about to learn anything new.”
I immediately snapped back, “Hey, I’m over 50. Here’s my computer!”
He and I had little to say to each other during the remainder of the flight. I continued working on my computer; he studied the in-flight magazine.
That fellow on the airplane represents the common stereotype – that senior citizens are resistive to technology. Seems to me though, senior citizens aren’t so much resistive to technology. It’s simply that they insist that any new technology they might adopt serve some useful purpose. They ask, “What can this new technology do for me?”
Here’s an example – I’ve been thinking about graduating from a plain old cellular phone to a smart phone. But I haven’t yet made the change because I don’t have a good answer to the question, “What will a smart phone do for me?” You see, I travel with my (dumb) cell phone plus a laptop computer. Seems I’ve got my bases covered. Oh sure, were I to have a smart phone, I could sit at a picnic table in the middle of our city park and search the Internet for an answer to the question, “What was Babe Ruth’s batting average during his last year with the Yankees?” But I really don’t want to do that. So I’ve not purchased a smart phone.
I think that younger people are quick to embrace new technology because they often recognize an immediate use for it. Teens especially are into gaming and texting their friends. Older people are less inclined toward such uses of technology. So they await an answer to the question, “What can this new technology do for me?” Until receiving a satisfactory answer to that question, they’ll wait. Just as I continue to wait to purchase a smart phone.
Another important point is that the purchase of a highly technical device is very complicated. There are generally so many features available that selecting among them can be quite overwhelming. Wendy and I have been looking at GPS (Global Positioning System) devices for use in her car. You know, those rectangular devices that tell you to “turn left in 300 feet, at the next intersection.” Well, there’s an overwhelming array of features to consider in selecting such a device. There’s a choice of brand, of course. And monitor size. And the option to purchase a lifetime subscription to downloadable road maps. And which specific maps? There’s the choice of maps of the USA plus Canada. Or of all of North America. Or of North America plus South America. And one has to decide if they’d like to have traffic alerts. And Bluetooth. Oh my!
Today’s young folks have grown up with technology so they very much take it for granted. And that reminds me of a story which I think you’ll enjoy… Back in 1982, I purchased my first computer. A beast of a DOS machine with a 10 Meg hard drive and 64 Kb of RAM. Driving home from the computer dealer, it occurred to me that my two young sons would be curious about my new computer. And I really didn’t want them playing games on my new machine. The obvious solution was to buy the boys their own computer.
So, on the way home, I stopped by the electronics shop and purchased an Atari Computer (Remember Atari? It was a keyboard plus joystick hooked up to the television.). Upon arriving home I first hooked up the Atari to the television and introduced the boys to their new “computer.” Then I hooked up my own computer.
About two years later, my son Doug, then perhaps four years old, was sitting on the floor of the family room playing on his Atari computer. Suddenly, he stopped playing, turned to me and asked, “Dad, how old were you, when you were a little boy, and you got your first computer?”
Oh m gosh, I love that story about your son and the computer!
Here’s a reason for a smart phone: when you’re at that picnic table you can read and post comments to your blog! Isn’t that a good enough reason right there?
Hi, Syd… Yes, you’re right. Being a blogger might actually justify the purchase of a smart phone. In fact, though I haven’t purchased one yet, I may well do so. Turns out that I’m not an early adapter. In fact, my friend Jim Hammond once told me, “Bill, you do everything you say you’ll do, you just have to think about it for a year.” Bill
Bill,
Enjoyed your thoughts about the resistance of some seniors to new technologies. I certainly agree that mature individuals are less likely to purchase something just because it’s new – unlike a lot of younger folk who succumb to pressures to always have the latest gadget.
I also agree that younger folk who’ve grown up with computers and related equipment are much more at ease/intuitive than those who have not. I’ve had many folks comment that they’d love to be able to email and to access the net but are put off by fear of the unknown. And I’ve personally witnessed people “lock up” with fear over pushing the wrong button and “messing up the machine.”
I find this unfortunate considering the wealth of information available and the ease of communication electronic media provides. One only has to look at the number of blogs on retirement and related issues to realize how valuable electronic communication is, or could be, to seniors.
A final comment on your aversion (so far) to a smart phone. Since you’re apparently considering a car-mounted GPS I trust you’re aware that most smart phones can provide all the navigation capabilities that dedicated GPS units can – and they can do so much more too!
Hi, Pete… Thanks for writing and for pointing out that smart phones have navigation capabilities. That’s really a good point. Turns out that the GPS unit which (sooner or later) we’ll purchase will go into my wife’s car, rather than mine. Because of that, the two purchases (smart phone and GPS) would be independent.
Hey, by the way, I just learned something from a friend of mine. He told me that using his GPS unit, he’s less aware of directions. That is, he’s become dependent upon the unit to do his “navigational thinking.” Interesting point. Reminds me of my dad who could add a long column of numbers faster than anyone I’ve ever known. Dad never owned or used a calculator. Bill
Bill, You don’t mean to tell me that your wife would let you get her a “does only one thing” GPS and while you get yourself a “does everything” smartphone do you??!! IF that’s how it goes down, I suggest you prepare yourself for an almost immdiate request (demand!) that she have her own smartphone too!
Kidding aside, it is true that becoming too reliant on any form of electronic navigation can “dumb down” a driver in terms of dead reckoning navigation and/or reading and memorizing maps. On the plus side, however, if the male driver uses the GPS (and pays attention to it), that cuts down on the “why don’t you just stop and ask for directions!” comments.
Hey, Pete… You make a great point! Perhaps it’s worth compromising my sense of direction as insurance against back seat driving. Also, I forgot to mention that my wife already has an IPad. And that, were I to step up to a smart phone, so would she. Bill
Hi Bill. I thought you might get a kick out of how I merged your post here with one from a Quaker friend of mine. Check it out at http://waiting4god.net/2011/01/20/seniors-are-a-complex-group-of-individuals/
Long story short, I love reading your posts but sometime you ,like me, just paint with too broad a brush. Talk to you later my friend
Hello, RJ… Thanks so much for writing and for mentioning “painting with too broad a brush.” I read the post which you linked in your comment, and I understand the point which both you and your friend Raye have made. You’re right… seniors are a complex group of folk and it’s a mistake to lump them all together. Adding a modifier such as “seniors I’ve met” or “in my experience” adds precision, thus integrity, to one’s writing. Bill
I resisted getting a smartphone for quite a long time. But, two months ago I took the plunge. Now, I don’t know why I waited so long.
I can read e-mails and moderate comments on my blog while away from home. I use the GPS to help when I’m driving out of town. I have found texting to be quick and efficient. I like being able to get updates of news headlines or weather forecasts.
Bill..take the plunge!
Hey, Bob… Yeah, I really think that I will take the plunge. It’s just that, by nature, I’m a bit of a late adaptor. It’s coming. Thanks, Bill
“Technology doubles in power and halves in price every six months”, says my tech teacher and Bill Gates. The GPS with downloadable maps–OLD technology. Our GPS is about a year old and was cheaper than our one with downloadable maps- and can map the globe. BUT that is why you need a smart phone—GPS on the phone!
I don’t have a smart phone because :::gasp::: I do not get reception at my house! You should see it when my 20 somethings come home and cannot text! We do SKYPE, GPS, and facebook/blog.
As far as learning things when you get older. My mother is a whiz on the computer at 80.She loves seeing family pictures on Flicker and Facebook. My husband buys all of our technology (I-pad when the next generation comes out) at 60. My son’s girlfriend’s father is the head of the tech department at a major corporation at 62. It is all what you want to know and being open to learn it.
The guy on the plane…Magazine? What is that? I always am plugged into a movie as soon as our flights take of. Looking forward to downloading a Netflix next time I fly.
And I would simply shrivel up if I had to make the drive from Kansas to Phoenix without my Nano. And I am…well older then him- he has just “let himself get old”.
Hi, Janette… Thanks for writing and for offering a number of examples of seniors making use of technology. I especially like your comment about the fellow on the airplane “letting himself get old.” That’s absolutely true. In fact, I use my meeting that fellow as the lead for a story in my soon-to-publish memoir… a story about “The Three Ages of Man.” In that story, I suggest that each of us has three ages, our chronological age, our physiological age, and our psychological age. Saying that “he let himself get old” is, of course, referring to his psychological age. Bill
How about the title of “Three stages of personhood” or something like that. Wouldn’t want to turn off half the audience by the title.
It is a wonderful idea for a book.
Are you going to add sections on marriage (or significant others) as well- as we journey with a partner through these stages?
Hi, Janette… The memoir which I refer to I’ve already written and it will publish in the spring of this year. If you click on the tab entitled “About Bill’s Memoir,” at the top of this page, you can read all about it. The book is a collection of stories about my adventures and my lessons learned from childhood through the first two stages of my and Wendy’s retirement. Those two retirement stages include (1) our seven month drive around the United States and (2) our living and working voluntarily in the Peruvian Andes.
I’m “toying” with the idea of writing another book — one about the issues of retirement. That book would certainly deal with the need for life partners to be “on the same page.”
Thanks so much, Bill
The Apple iPhone has been the bright shiny object I’ve been wanting — for more than one year. Smartphones are common (some users have multiple devices) among family and friends. One family member has even taken us to lunch twice on the Apple campus! (Okay, saying anymore would be name dropping. Apologies.)
Coverage troubles with the former one carrier cell service provider in our localized area has kept the issue far in the background. Not any more. Another very large cell network — that has proven to work for me — will now support the iPhone in February.
A smartphone, at my certain age, may actually be a very desirable thing to learn. And sooner is better. Enjoyed finding your blog from a comment over at
http://babyboomerinsights.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Looking forward to reading your future topics
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Thanks for writing, QwkDrw… As you mention the solution to your IPhone coverage troubles coming in February, I assume that you’re using Verizon. Though AT&T has newly arrived here in Central Oregon, Verizon still offers our best local coverage. Until that changes, we’ll stick with Verizon. Bill
I think it’s great for seniors to learn how to use the growing technology. Especially cell phones. After I bought my grandparents a Senior Value Cell phone (on the TracFone network) … I sat down and taught them how to use it. Now they can’t go our anywhere without it!
Hi, Susan…
Yes, I agree with you. And I think that, in this day and age, the vast majority of seniors own and use a cell phone. But I’m not so sure about their use of “smart phones.” Within my circle of (middle class) friends, most still use the plain old cell phone. Bill