Is newer technology making it more difficult for Seniors?

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!

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.

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.

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." :)

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 :)

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

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.