New technology- getting left behind?

Then you have to hope you have someone who can do it for you!

I've gradually taken over all my Dad's admin tasks.
We wondered why he hadn't been invited for a flu jab one year, then I realised he'd missed the text message from his surgery a few weeks beforehand.
He complained they should write him a letter but I explained that's not an efficient way of communicating these days.

He has a mobile phone but never checked it, and when I did the battery was invariably flat. I've changed his contact details for everything to my mobile number now.
Similarly I do all his banking for him, I have the app for his account on my phone.
He does still get a paper statement and likes to grumble about where's his money gone... as he says, he never spends anything!

I always talk to him about what I'm doing, but one of his favourite sayings these days is, "I'm glad you know what's going on!"
It works for both of us because he knows I have his best interests at heart, and he trusts me.

I have tried hard to keep up with technology but sometimes struggle so enlisted a neighbour to help me move my online banking from the old I-pad to the new one and in the end I had to get someone on the phone a the bank to talk me through it. In the end this ten minute job took two hours!

Yes this is not easy.
I think things are being programmed these days to be on phones rather than desk tops or tablets.
So my DH struggles as he likes to use the desk top. But often one needs a camera for ID purposes
At my gp they refused a hand written letter to the doctors but would accept an econsult. Crazy.

loopyloo I have a tablet, and I use an adapter to connect it to a large screen, keyboard and/or mouse, when I want to do something that I prefer a desktop set-up for. Would that work for your husband?

They are different for different tablets, but this sort of thing
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loopyloo can you buy him a camera if his doesn't have one ?

I think I am as computer-literate as any of my generation - perhaps more than most. I do on-line banking on my phone and/or laptop. If I'm stuck, my son - or sons - will help me out. YA grandchildren would also rescue me. I'm far too good at on-line shopping!

My mother-in-law has lost "4" on her TV as Samsung isn't supporting her older TV. We wanted her to have Roku or Firestick or similar as she used to enjoy some programmes on 4 - but watching her trying to navigate the menu on her TV the other day (a TV she had bought in 2016) we realised she can only really use iPlayer and does that by just looking at what they are offering her and choosing acording to that first "screen" offering.

She often complains there's no choice - but...

I have to admit to being a bit lazy about keeping up as I have a younger nephew who sets up all my tech for me. Yesterday he set up the Alexa on my Amazon firestick to co-ordinate with the doorbell camera so if someone rings while I am watching tv I can open the app on the tv screen. If Im not expecting anyone or dont like the look of them I can just ignore. Dont even have to have my phone or tablet handy.

I am not one of those people who walks around with a mobile phone in my pocket. I dont want people ringing me when I am in bed or on the loo. Nephew says I am a Luddite and yet my Ph.d. was in datebase navigation.

I do sympathise with older (or any age) people who feel they are being pushed into interacting with tech when they really dont want to. Nephew often teaches older people how to use smartphones to do some of the basic jobs that a 6 year old child can do. Unfortunately you dont always have a 6 year old child on hand to help.

I do like modern technology but struggle to keep up. But I'm lucky that both my sons are quite good and help me keep up to date. They gave me a desktop computer for my 60th birthday and showed me how to use it. I had that desktop for ten years before moving to a laptop.
All my grandchildren are better than I am and often help with my laptop and phone etc.

I have dyspraxia and numb fingure tips on my right hand. It makes using a mobile phone very difficult.

However I am more than happy on a computer. although most of you will have noticed my eccentric spelling at times. My brain can spell, my fingers, thanks to my dyspraxia have minds of their own and make their own unilateral decisions on what order the letters go in. To rejig Eric Morecambe's well known phrase. 'All the right letters just not the right order'.

I do keep up with everything to run our house online, I have a number of apps on my phone and iPad and am comfortable with online banking, the NHS app and Octopus amongst others. My mobile is on me at all times, good job too when I slipped in the garden 3 weeks ago and rang MrJ who was indoors, he came out to help me up.

The only thing that foxed me recently was paying for car parking. I got there in the end but would have found it easier to pay the machine.

I check out a car park’s arrangements in advance online if I know where I will need to park. I am happy to use contactless card payments or cash, if I have the right coins. I am wary of apps and there are too many different parking ones, or maybe no phone signal.
I don't have Alexa or a ring door bell( I find that a weird name as all door bells ring, but not all have a camera).
When I change car, I don’t want one where you have to do everything on a screen. I find that too distracting when driving, but I am not a Luddite. I simply cannot understand people who refuse to have anything to do with all new technologies. I would not manage without online banking.

I have a lovely friend and neighbour who is infuriating when it comes to technology.
She won’t even try, she is terrified.
She bought an iPad, it sits in a drawer, I tried so hard to teach her how to use it but she is too stubborn to learn.

I thought I was pretty good at modern tech but yesterday on two occasions I was stumped by unexpected online banking problems. It is fine until I have to change something then I feel the panic rising! Unfortunately things seem to change too rapidly. I'm really afraid of falling behind.

I' ve mentioned my age in previous posts (93). I mention it again as I feel that it is one's attitude towards technology that needs addressing. I have much younger friends who own PC's and will not use e-mail for instance. What??? I do not drive so the question of using parking apps etc does not arise. I use restaurants with either waiters or self-service unless I am with my daughter when she often uses an app to book and pre-order. I buy my groceries one line and my clothes. For me the Internet is a window on the world and I love it. I am wary of hardware i.e setting up a new desktop, laser printer but I get an expert to do that. and to show me what he is doing! I have an iMac, an iPad and a Kindle Fire.

I do keep up most of the time took me a while to get the hang of parking apps. I do everything on my iPad or phone my laptop is languishing in a cupboard. I find it so much quicker using my phone to pay and the restaurant apps work great. Bank online and put meter readings into Octopus easy app.
It is a shame some people just don’t entertain the idea it does make life simpler.

As Eirlys says, it is attitude rather than age.
I have a 92 year old friend who has taught himself French using online courses. He comes to our conversation group with his notes on his smartphone. Brilliant!

I do food and online banking and as Amazon is aware, I keep that company in business.

I would love to learn more but I do not have a 6 year old close by to teach me. I am 80.

Our local library advertises free IT help. There are volunteers (not children) who happily give their time to support people with their various devices. The volunteers have to be DBS checked and have varying skillsets. The volunteers are comfortable with technology and, most importantly, understand how difficult it is for those getting left behind. If it is help with a certain app, queries about staying safe online, building a filing system, using a mobile phone or advice about getting online in the first place, they will work with you and your device to give you confidence.

The local library will also copy and print for you. It's worth looking out for these useful support services.

You just get the hang of it and ,blow me down, they invent something else !

I am determined not to be beaten. My younger brother was beaten some years ago.

Have to say that I am a bit scared of parking apps. Are some better than others?

A friend who happily uses the internet told me she will never do online banking. When I asked her how she manages, she replied “ I have a husband”
In my case, my husband leaves any admin whatsoever to me. Mind you, I think it’s safer that way.

I am quite competent but today I wanted to throw my Apple phone away.

Incorrect password x 3
“Enter new password”
I Use same one as ‘incorrect’ one
“You can’t use the same password”
You just told me it was wrong so it can’t be the same one. 😫😤😤