Not using any modern technology!

I have friends who wont/ can't use the internet and then rely on me to keep them informed🙄 one rely's on her DH or children to do anything with money/banking/ insurance even filling her car with petrol. The other one will not set up direct debits to pay utilities and likes to have a bill and pay at the P.O. I keep telling her she would get a cheaper deal with a DIrect debit. Both professional was women in their working lives.

I have a friend of 75, I started over 10 years ago to try and get her online.
She is so stubborn and refuses to learn, she is struggling now as we have moved away.
Sadly there is no helping some people.

I have a friend who spent her working life working in the defence and aeronautical industry writing software for aircraft and weapon control systems.

When she retired sho ditched technology and now just has a dumb phone. She lives the other end of the ocuntry to me, we write letters to each other.

She knows how all the technology works, actually wrote some of it, but refuses to use it herself.

🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ Horses for courses I guess.

Unless they are complaining or relying on others to do things they could very easily learn to do, then I guess just leave them to it.

I just get frustrated with the whole palaver and me! I have not worked in an office environment for years and have forgotten so much and get cross when I can't get things sorted on Word, for instance

Then the language on the internet changes and I haven't the foggiest what I am being told to do. It really is an alien tongue!

As for a smartphone - totally banjaxed - just can't use the flipping thing, however much I try. Mind you, it is not helped by the fact that my reception is atrocious to non existent. Then, there is never anyone at the end of a phone to help you out - the questions on the FAQ pages never cover my issue and, if there is a contact number for the organisation (invariably there isn't or it is in Eastern Europe or South Africa or somewhere equally remote), it is devoid of humans - talking to a bot is not my idea of a conversation. Or should it now be? Grrr.....

I have a friend, 82, money isn't a problem. She has a very expensive computer but all she can do is check her premium bonds each month.

She is in a pickle, lives 300 miles from me so I can't help her. She can no longer drive, has major mobility problems so relies on n her poor neighbour to do everything. Only recently she has paid the minimum wage for a cleaner.

She has had to start paying by d/d as the PO is out of reach.

I am not tech savvy but I do bankng and order food online and treat Amazon like a corner shop. I at least try.

I'm just wondering how everyone will cope if/when we have a massive cyber attack 🤔

Thanks I feel I am not the only one who is frustrated with friends who refuse to help themselves. 👍

I have some sympathy with the refusers. I am pretty tech savvy; I have banked on line since DH died and I keep an eye my investments on line, as well as the every day stuff, energy, insurances etc. But it does sometimes feel scarily like having all one’s eggs in one basket. Last week, during a period of bad weather, we had some sort of outage that meant I couldn’t access any of my apps (I gather there were other Gransnetters who had the same problem). Tried all the usual rebooting strategies but nothing worked. It took most of a day for normal service to be resumed, but these things do tend to unnerve me and I hanker after the days when things were simpler, or seemed to be.

NanKate

Thanks I feel I am not the only one who is frustrated with friends who refuse to help themselves. 👍

It took me ages to help a couple we know how to do an online shop. He's about my age and has Masters (engineer) and had a very good job! She is a bit older and seems to use her phone ok 🤷‍♀️

Greyduster

I have some sympathy with the refusers. I am pretty tech savvy; I have banked on line since DH died and I keep an eye my investments on line, as well as the every day stuff, energy, insurances etc. But it does sometimes feel scarily like having all one’s eggs in one basket. Last week, during a period of bad weather, we had some sort of outage that meant I couldn’t access any of my apps (I gather there were other Gransnetters who had the same problem). Tried all the usual rebooting strategies but nothing worked. It took most of a day for normal service to be resumed, but these things do tend to unnerve me and I hanker after the days when things were simpler, or seemed to be.

Yes, Greyduster
This is what I mean.

Our over-reliance on technology in general could be our downfall.

I’d be more concerned about the 93 year old and his driving NanKate!
We have two friends who are quite capable, one in particular, but insist on ‘doing things as they’ve always been done’ as if their stand will make a difference. It causes them problems and costs money, neither will even try ‘new’ avenues.

I can’t get on with things tech, other manage messages and googling info etc but not much more. My dh is similar but is willing to give it a try which helps or frustration on both our sides when it doesn’t work.
If I were on my own, which given our ages could be anytime, I don’t know how I would manage in this online app world which everyone is expected to somehow ‘understand’ . All this has unfortunately affected my confidence.

The worse thing you can do is put your head in the sand as the whole world is living online. You have to keep up, even for your banking, shopping and health contacts such as local surgeries.
I am sure many old people think its clever and traditional to eschew the internet but it makes you look pathetic, imo.
Like all things in life, you have to apply yourself. Apply time and patience and a willingness to learn.

Well that’s me told …. I don’t think many of us ‘old people’ think it’s clever and sorry you think we are pathetic, but ‘applying oneself’ without help or guidance isn’t easy.

Yes. You have a point and I apologise.
I am fortunate in having a tech savvy DH who I can turn to in a second if in trouble, It must be harder living on your own but keep at it because it is the future.

I tell you the bit I hate.
My beautiful GD's facetime me and I can't say I like it. They catch me at my worst - always.

Talk about Beauty and the Beast.

silverlining48

Well that’s me told …. I don’t think many of us ‘old people’ think it’s clever and sorry you think we are pathetic, but ‘applying oneself’ without help or guidance isn’t easy.

At one time our local Council was running courses to teach people new technology. DH went on one and was surprised to find quite young people on the course; he'd expected retirees like himself.

I use a laptop to bank, invest, order groceries, Amazon. All needs.

I send notes and cards from my laptop as well.

We've no reception here. No smart phone, I've a dumb phone when leaving home (for emergencies). My husband has a smart phone, receives calls when away for work. Our landline works well.

Apps? No. I'm content with basics. I train myself on my new laptop at purchase (I read and follow what to do, or ask a GC).

And yet here you are, Silverlining, happily using social media - all is not lost! You’re still learning new things and I’m sure that will continue. I remember back in the 90’s with our very first computer, thinking I would never get the hang of email addresses and passwords etc but now it’s every day life.

I feel your frustration Nan Kate! I have a group of 4 friends. All intelligent strong women who totally refuse to use technology. One uses a bank ap with the help of her daughter and they use Watsap, but that’s it. So it’s down to me to book tickets, sort out days out, and book holidays. I have booked a 4 day break away and a Christmas night away. They are giving me the money in cash and I have to sort it and put it in my bank. It annoys me that they won’t even try!

I have a friend who wears her i don’t do tech badge with pride.
She started to get very defensive with her attitude. We got onto online banking. Anyone witnessing her horror would would assume I was talking about the spawn of the devil.
She had no answer when I asked her how often she sees her bank statement: once a month. I showed her how I could check my account 24 hrs a day anywhere in the world.

I rely on others for technological back up.
I am not that way inclined.

Thankfully there are lots of others around me who are.
And are happy/willing to help.

If you are on here, you can probably manage to do most things you are likely to need: email, banking, booking a train or theatre ticket, shopping, using Google maps, checking the weather, researching information eg about a place you might visit. You don’t have to use social media but I find the local Facebook page is useful for warning of traffic problems and other local news.

Unless you are in business you don’t need spreadsheets or graphics.

I am going to be away for a couple of days without internet and am doing lots of advance preparation eg finding out bus routes, opening times etc.