Is newer technology making it more difficult for Seniors?

I so agree. Everything has gotten too complicated. I got my mother a special remote that has the simple one-touch functions. Sometimes things get out of sync, but it is easier for her than the million-button remote. Most of the things on the remote were nothing she ever used.

Technology is getting overwhelming. Personally I am cell-phone... er mobile device-challenged. We're supposed to be able to talk on the phone and do computer stuff all at the same time. I end up just hanging up on people if I try to do anything else besides talk. And doing anything except a simple text? Forget about it! I'm too dumb for my smart phone.

We'll call the nearest 13 year old....

JessieBelle, same here. My boss left his Smart Phone at the office, it rang, I had no clue how to answer it. My cell is a few years old, and when it rings I need to stop and think how on earth do I answer this as I get maybe one call a month.... well, one needs to press *send* to answer it... say what?.... clear as mud.

Even new cars are getting too complicated. My S/O was on a trip and he rented a car, he wanted something simple.... turn it on, put it in gear and go... this thing had a computer panel that he had no clue how to work... he never got to listen to the radio, or open the windows, and always got to the hotel before dark because he couldn't find how to turn the headlights on. We both grew up in the era of the hand crank for windows, pull knob for the headlights, and if lucky AM radio :)

I showed my 91yo MIL some Youtube videos, on my iPhone. She watched for awhile and then said, "this makes my eyes hurt." Then, she asked what is this? I said "My phone." Then, she said 'Where are the numbers?" LOL. I had a notion to pick it up and say "Call Bob." :)

I have a slightly different take, one which might be considered condescending toward some elements of society, but that's not the intent. Oh, well, maybe it is ... I'll have to Google it and learn from the new masters of the universe how I should think about this.

I think some of the wired and wireless connectedness was pushed by people who weren't particularly adept at inter-personal social skills (Jobs, Zuckerberg, Bezos) and found new ways to communicate which didn't involve face-to-face contact. They found ways to be successful and routed communication around and through devices, although they still had to deal with their employees, and sometimes in a dysfunctional manner.

There have always been people who don't have good inter-personal skills, but the technology wasn't there to afford them alternative opportunities. Now it is.

Haven't quite figured out how this phenomenon caught the attention (if not addiction) of users young and old, but it did, and they embraced it wholeheartedly.

Also happening was a trend away from doing things naturally, of being outside instead of playing with devices, of growing one's own food instead of getting gourmet takeout, of learning and cultivating various home arts and crafts such as sewing clothes for the family, baking bread, making ice cream, and a variety of activities which are probably unknown to a lot of tekkie users.

I remember being shocked when I read that some people glue buttons back onto clothing because they don't know how to sew. People post on DIY forums with such basic questions that it's clear they don't know the first thing about gardening, growing their own food or processing it.

I've read that a Nature Deficit Syndrome has actually been identified - it can affect children who spend too much time playing with technological devices and too little time in real life. Seriously. I always thought that too much tekkie activities would be harmful one way or the other.

I think devices have gotten too complex, not to be used and/or understood, but for the basic purposes intended.

They're also not what I consider to be ecologically friendly. They either require electricity or batteries, both of which cost me more money and which eventually, directly or indirectly, consume energy in manufacturing and use. I don't even need to address the issue of nonrenewable resources.

For what? How have all these devices really enhanced our lives? Computers definitely have, and have made my life a lot easier and well as provided an opportunity to connect with people I wouldn't otherwise have met. But I don't need a phone that takes photos (often not very good ones at that), has a dozen functions, sings when it's turned on, and still in my mind hasn't been proven to be safe close to one's brain.

Size is an issue as well. Keypads are smaller, harder to read. They can be dropped more easily. There are too many sequences just to do something simple. I've always thought that KISS is a good philosphy but these devices are the antithesis of that.

Even computers can cause backaches and eye strain if not used properly. An arm specialist doctor told me he was seeing a lot more young people with tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, caused by texting.

I compare today's cyberbarons to the (robber)barons of the Industrial and early post Industrial Age, who were instrumental in providing services, financial products and transportation which I believe benefited most members of society, and improved the quality of life.

Which of the contemporary techno devices can compare with the discovery of electricity? Of indoor lighting and indoor plumbing? Of labor saving devices such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines? Of refrigerators vs. ice chests? Of advances in medicine, medical treatments, and robotic assisted surgery?

Can an X-box, I-Pod, I-Pad, Google glasses, smart phones or similar devices even hold a candle to sweeping changes brought about by industrialization? I think not.

Back to answer the basic question: yes, not only because of aging eyes, arthritic hands and fingers, but also because of the powerful conformist movement that anticipates consumers should spend their money to buy these things, whether they're useful for a senior's particular needs or not.

Who needs to take pictures with a phone when it's used primarily for emergencies? When you see the end of your life approaching, you want quality time, not fuss-with-gadgets time.

When I die, I want to look back on my gardens, creations, and special moments with family oo friends, not on my variety of SmartPhone.

FreqFli, funny! I had the great idea to get my first smart phone just before mom's last hospitalization. My phone was soooo old, the contacts could not be transferred to this device. Had to enter them by hand, naturally made a few mistakes. Sent text to sisters and auntie dearest, only aunt received the message. I had made errors on both sisters numbers. Call it a Freudian slip if you like, could be.

My phone kept ringing from my aunt to ask if I had let sisters know. But, naturally I could not figure out how to answer the darn thing! Finally it rang when a young nurse was in the room and I asked him "how in the world do you answer this d*mn thing?" Finally starting to get used to it, have a long, long way to go. I need "the Idiot's Guide to the Samsung S4 Mini!" LOL

Another post to jump on Garden Artist's bandwagon!

I don't think it is necessarily making life more difficult for seniors as they can opt out of what the new technology offers except in a few cases. They can still go to the bank and withdraw $$$ in person. They can pay for purchases by cash or cheque, use the house phone etc. However, using the new technology is tempting due to its convenience. Mother got a cell phone and then forgot how to use it. She never had voice mail on her house phone, but she did get a computer and used it for years. More recently she has forgotten her PIN number several times so doesn't use her ATM card any more as far as I know. In fact, for family, it was a good "heads up" that things were going sideways. On the other hand, it may make frivolous purchases easier to indulge in, and give more opportunities for fraud. Any change brings some difficulties with it. I am a senior and embrace a lot of new technology - iPhone, computer, ipad, a variety of email accounts for different purposes, online banking etc. On the whole, I find these things helpful. I am sympathetic about the confusion re the array of options in a rental car dashboard. That's what the user manual is for - and I have used it to help sig other figure some things out. He on the other hand does not trust online banking, uses his cell phone and computer for work mainly, but is slowly expanding. His parents are solid non techies - no cell phone, no voice mail, no computer... You can live without them.

I wish that appliances came with simpler displays too, Too many options on many of them.

GA, The new technologies are wonderful, make life so convenient, don't need to go out for much of anything any more. Even groceries by computer. But in the process of adopting these technologies, our young people, are using electronic methods to communicate nearly everything. Their skills in personal interactions are lacking. And many parents hold some responsibility for that.

I remember holiday gatherings (there used to be some relatively pleasant ones), where when sisters hosted, their sons would disappear to the basement at one of their houses, or the family room at narc sisters house to play computer games on the tv that others would watch the football games, or just plain talk. But the noise of the kids while playing made any type of conversation nearly impossible.

It is almost as if we need another classification for seniors, those of us that are young or motivated enough to learn new technologies. In fact, my Mom was very computer proficient, spreadsheets, even had a website for her business. Then it got to the point she could not remember how to turn the computer on.

I need to admit that I completely forgot about an important use of smart technology. While watching the evening news on the escalating ISIS situation in Iraq, I was reminded how much photos and videos contributed to the success of the Arab Spring. Now that's a really good use of the technology, to help people overthrow dictators and move forward. How much would the world really have known about what took place over there, given the dictators' restriction of press, had not the rebels been able to share via their smart devices?

Crow doesn't taste very good.

GardenArtist, great post.... I agree 100%. I have found the computer to be a time saver as it's like having a library at my fingertips. No more running over to the library building to find something.... but it's hard to sort through what is truly real and what is nonsense on the internet.

The computer social side and websites like Aging Care has become the back fence when women use to talk to other women across the fence... but now that fence stretches worldwide.

E-mail has been great... I use to like the idea of sending a letter at midnight, but now I don't do that because too many cellphones get emails and ring the recipient. My Dad use to teach DOS language code after he retired but now that code technology has gotten away from him... how he enjoyed looking things up on the computer.... he tries now but his dial-up is like molasses when it comes to speed. He rarely does e-mail anymore.

I know I spend waaaaaay too much time on the computer.... but it's become my TV substitute because there aren't enough really good fun shows.... how I miss Carol Burnett.

On those very rare occasions of eating out, I see families with the children glued to their SmartPhones. Even 3 years old with some type of electronic devices. Hope those children get a chance to play in the dirt like I did, I had a great childhood where one had to use their imagination :)

Yes i want to get the new cable that rewinds, records makes tea!!! but no way would mum be able to figure this out already she is starting to have problems with just the old remote i have everything written down on paper if im not here but shes not taking it in and i notice tv is off when i come home as she cant figure it out?
I am not too high tech myself i have an old cd player with headphones have no idea about ipods and an crap mobile phone thats only because ive no money to get all this new stuff. My sister (b*tch) was astonished i didnt have ipod? oh youre soooooooooooooooooo not with it. Yep shes the one with thousands in the bank!!

If smart technology could produce something that weeds for me and cuts down junk trees, I just might consider becoming modern. Oh, and it would also have to change the oil in the car, fix the plumbing and electrical, shovel the snow in winter, mow the lawn in summer, and it would even be helpful if it had home cooked meals ready for me when I come home from a caregiving day.

I guess what I need is a hard working device, not one that's really smart.

ooooh, jeeze... Thank you for saying that, thought I was the only cell-challenged dummy around... I got so irritated at having to pay for incoming text-advertising, I called my phone Co., told them "Cut off texting" - "I don't need it" - they said "Costs $4.-- per month to NOT have it".... I said " you mean if I go to Sears and don't buy anything, they can charge me a fee for not shopping.??".." I'll find another Cellphone Co.".... that made them drop the fee real fast... Besides the texting has it's own language and abbreviations... + as you know "Abbreviations are getting my GOAT..." !!!... and my Memory !

My parents have a nice collection of VHS tapes of wonderful movies such as "The King & I", "South Pacific", and other very entertaining old time movies.... how my parents loved watching those movies. But that was back when one just popped the VHS tape into the machine and it would appear on the TV screen. Today one has to jump through too many hoops to watch a movie on a DVD [they don't have cable], so my parents don't do that anymore.... neither do I.... just too complicated..... [sigh].

There are many uses for smart phone technology in emergencies. OK, I am a geographer and absolutely enthralled with maps. Each smart phone out there is capable of providing data that will help first responders. There is a very good video on VIMEO, of the impact in Haiti after the earthquake. It is a time lapse showing all the data that was provided through a resource called Open Street Map.

If you want to see this video, google:

OpenStreetMap - Project Haiti

It is absolutely amazing to see the public response to requests for data to assist responders.

OK... now I have to google ... what's VIMOE .... aaah , maybe tomorrow... You must be a young chap.... and all this new technology gets my goat as well...as Freqflyer stated above....
My father was a cartographer in WW II - and loved maps, as do I , trouble is how do you learn to work maps on a cellphone... aaah, maybe tomorrow... In the meantime I travel with the huge Walmart Rand McNally Road Atlas all over the country and Canada... get to all the places I need with it o.k. ! On my last trip to Lexington, KY I tried to buy an updated map of Lexington in 3 different stores, only to be told " we are out and we can't get them anymore " - is that not a shame !!!

DHilBE, I use to joke that if our car GPS was missing that means "I've been kidnapped"....

One day the doctor across the hall from my office dropped by.... here was my boss at his desk and me at mine both having local map books opened looking for a certain street... my boss was using a magnifying glass. The doctor just stopped and looked and said "why don't you just Google the address".... I told him it's quicker this way, otherwise by the time I turn on the computer wait for the computer to wake up and go to the browser then type in what I want, I have already found the street I was looking for :)

My boss [who is in his late 70's] and I always have a race as to who will find a telephone number first... he will use his SmartPhone, and I will use an old fashioned telephone book... I usually win.

Hahaha... I love it... that should keep work form getting boring... and add that bit of humor we all need to stay sane... especially considering the sad stories one encounters on AC. Yet is there not a ring of irony.... with all the advances in technology that are supposed to help us - it is sad that we loose many established forms of communications, that served us well and with much less expense...and should still stay available to the elder generation... I'd rather spend time with people, than spend it with the college course of a manual to learn another new gadget.... I wish you well !

Dhibe, I also asked my cell provider to block texting capacity after I received one from an unknown person. They agreed without challenge, although from the tone of voice I suspect they couldn't understand why someone wouldn't want texting capability.

Consumer Cellular has cheap plans if you're an AARP member.

And well said about the choice of being with people vs. reading a manual - especially one that's written by someone who's not a native speaker! I used to buy and assemble furniture kits and could always tell when the instructions weren't prepared by a native English speaker or writer.

Thank God for good reading glasses. I only need 20 to 2.5 but thank God they make them up to 10x now. I am a technology lover, but I do get really, really mad when some "upgrade" (aka gratuitous change) means I can't do stuff the nice, efficient way I used to. Happens all the time too. Yes, I really would rather write my own batch files, type in a command, and hit Enter. :-)

Vstefans, are you speaking of writing code when you refer to writing batch files?

I sure do miss DOS - had a lot of fun with that.

Nope, just those good old one command per line .bat files in DOS...they are called shell scripts in Linux or UNIX and yeah, they did amazing things with DOS, both text and graphics, till the GUI took over. But I guess normal people would never have gotten into it if it had stayed all geeky for people like us :-)

I don't mind the GUI; in fact I liked the move to graphics, especially the screensavers which help alleviate eye strain. I downloaded one from Swarovski and it is stunningly beautiful.

What I resent is the all encompassing operating software that takes almost all control away from the user. I feel as if I'm battling with the operating system. But I don't really have the desire to spend time studying it to figure out how to trick it.

DOS was difficult for word processing though; the ability to name files without length constraint was a giant step forward.

I understand from SmartPhone users that the autocorrect function is a real nuisance. It's not intuitive and makes "corrections" that make no sense.

Autocorrect is a wonderful tool but you are correct not very intuitive. But make sure you have your reading glasses on. I have really sent some doozies! Same issue with tablets, so some of my posts here I can't even figure out. Most recently I was typing something about my dog, and it ended up dofg, or some such. And another cg read it, then went to the GOAT thread to try to figure out what the heck dofg was!

OMG, Ipad and I phone autocorrect is so AWFUL, sometimes its almost as hilarious adn the gobledegook I have written when I try to use my Android phone without reading glasses. I could live with 8.3 filenames and alt key macros and my WP6.2 spellchecker I would just run when I was done typing....I've coped with every version of Windows since 3.1 and XP was the "best" of that mess, and now it's gone. It is self-confessed planned obsolescence by Microsoft, otherwise they could not make enough money to keep either their Redmond campus OR their bloated OS afloat. Wait a minute, I think we've hijacked a thread - shame on us...
hey, anyone wanna start a listserv...no really, I'm going to hush up and go to bed now.

And what about the times where the software doesn't underline in red a misspelling.... I am a terrible speller [inherited that from my Dad] and I know when I typed something wrong and the software asked if I "want to add to dictionary?".... no, I don't want to add to the dictionary, I want a list of closely resembled words so I can find the word I want.... [sigh].

My Mom had beautiful handwriting and use to write letters to all her relatives. I did the same thing. Back when I was married in the 1970's-1990's, I use to write once a week to my parents. If they didn't get a letter, they would call to make sure everything was alright.... yes, Mom, everything is ok, otherwise we would have called you. This was back when long distance calls meant something bad had happened.

Mom then learned to use e-mail but any time there was a new and improved changed to the e-mail system, or Dad bought a new computer, it was too complex for her to learn. Then Dad had the task of writing and sending e-mails, but all he felt like writing was about the weather and some flood 500 miles from the house.... oh well.

My folks are both 82. They are pretty with it. They can operate a cell phone, finally run their dvd player and record tv too. But when they changed satellite companies, the tech said on his way out the door ....." To get your rebate, just go on line to get it." My mom called me to do this for her. The first thing I did is contact the company and complain about this. Not every on in the free world has a computer. Especially my folks. We did get her rebate, (over the phone) and they are happy again. Just because someone, even seniors, aren't computer literate, the world will still turn.

11:06 AM 7/1/2014...Yep, Yep, look down to my level, it's that little difference... My son gave me Windows 7 last year, since Win XP is no longer supported by MS. He"s a professional tech whiz.. What makes me crazy about that program is that it has a mind of it's own at times, makes me feel like it's the boss, not I...
If I try the instructional Help program I get a college course again from WIN, instead of just click here +here + here.... I have to google the terms used to understand the sentence... the time I waste to correct it's automated actions...!!! shriek !!!... by the time I will have learned this program - it'll be out of date again....do I wish I had XP back,,, ? yesyesyes,,, but of course many of the so-called "improvements" are coming down the pike mainly to " improve " company profits ... ! Results: Seniors are left in the dust ... we can't all be PC +Tech- whizzes, + we are often looked at as stupid !... O.k., vstefans, now I got to google... what's a "batchfile"? and what's a GUI? ....... shriek... aaah, maybe tomorrow........ Could MS not compromise and have the instructional college course for the geeks online, +have a simple, click here, +here +here... instructional section online for someone who is not stupid, but knows a lot more about nursing + sewing, etc. than PCs...!!!???... or maybe it's in there somewhere, + I just have not found it...! In the early 90s I had 2 computing courses while in NSG-school, all else is self-learned since... so, no Seniors are not stupid ! but with decreasing memory - it's harder to memorize new stuff !

I find manufacturers becoming too reliant on people going to the Internet for info, as vstefans mentioned. I was baking a cake mix and looked for the high altitude conversion on the box. None. They referred me to their website, which told me I had register on their site for the info. ???