How To Introduce Modern Technology To Senior Citizens

If you have an older parent or relative that refuses to use technology no matter how often you talk to them about it, it has probably caused some unneeded tension in your life. Sure, you could always back off and let them continue to do things the old-fashioned way, but it’s not easy to simply give up and move on. If you’re in dire need of a solution, our guide on how to introduce modern technology to senior citizens will be able to help you out.

If we were to guess, the main piece of tech that you’ve tried to get your elderly relative to adopt is a smartphone, so we will use that in our examples. However, you can apply these steps to any modern device.

Find a Need in Their Life

The first place to start is to find a need in their life that a smartphone could fix. For example, many older people love to see and talk to their grandkids whenever they get the chance. Sure, they can speak to them on their home phone, but kids get bored and usually dislike talking on the phone; what they do like is video chat.

Explain that if they had a smartphone, they could video chat with your kids whenever they wanted. This would allow them to talk to them more easily, and they’d get to see their grandchildren as they grow up, which is a big advantage if they live far away.

Be Careful How You Talk About It

Before you come at them with this proposal, though, plan out how you’ll talk about it. This is likely already a sore spot in your relationship, so bringing it up out of the blue won’t go over well. Instead, try to bring it up naturally in a conversation.

Once you do, don’t rush through your pitch. Take it slow and see how they take it. Try to use easy-to- understand words, so they can follow what you’re saying. If you confuse them too much, they’ll get frustrated and dismiss the idea.

Start Small

Some older people simply feel that smartphones are too many things at once. That’s why we’d recommend that you start them off on something a little less complicated. A perfect choice for this would be a smartwatch. They offer a lot of the same functionality but on a much smaller and more manageable scale.

Our safety watches for seniors are a great choice because they offer all the basic functions that they’ll want to use while having more options under the hood, like health monitoring systems and GPS guidance. Once they get the hang of the easy stuff, you can help explain the more complicated aspects and maybe move them up to a full-fledged smartphone.

Be There for Them as They Learn

After you’ve figured out how to introduce modern technology to a senior citizen, the only thing left to do is be there for them. They will have questions, and you will need to be there to answer them and explain confusing aspects of the device. As long as you’re around to help, they’ll probably be more accepting of the new tech and start to look into other devices they can possibly use.