Technology and Seniors: How to Introduce New Devices to Their Lives

For many seniors, technology can seem frightening, overwhelming, or simply too complicated. But technology also opens doors to new forms of communication, entertainment, education, and more. So, what can you do if you would like to help senior loved ones (or yourself!) embrace technology? Here’s how to introduce new devices to their lives.

Be Willing to Listen

Seniors like to control their own lives (and rightly so!), so don’t approach new technology with a forceful or know-it-all attitude. Instead, be willing to listen. Ask what interests your senior loved ones. Do they want to video chat with family? Connect with friends on social media? Take online classes? Stream their favorite shows? Discover what piques their interest and go from there. 

Validate Their Concerns

Learning how to use a new device is daunting, particularly if you don’t have a background using anything similar. While younger generations grew up using technology, seniors don’t have the same background experience. Navigating a new device is challenging, and the amount of information seniors are exposed to all at once, both in learning the new device and through the technology itself, can be overwhelming. Don’t brush these concerns aside. Instead, acknowledge and validate them. 

Show the Appeal

If you’d like a senior loved one to be comfortable with a new device, start by showing off your own. Take time while visiting to show family photos on a smartphone or tablet. Log in to a streaming service and let your loved one take a look at the available shows. They may be excited to have access to shows that were favorites in their younger days! 

It’s also a good idea to look up things that interest your loved one and show how they can use the device to learn or share more about their hobbies. And talk to your loved one about how technology can make them feel safer, such as providing access to telehealth or medical alert services. If seniors see the appeal of a new device, they are more likely to be excited to have one of their own.

Make It Simple

While some seniors love a good challenge, most would prefer to simplify and enjoy their lives. So they don’t want new technology if it feels overwhelming. When you speak to your senior loved one about getting and using a new device, skip the technical terminology and use simple terms instead. Focus on the benefits he or she will gain from the new device, like being able to connect with loved ones, staying up-to-date on the news, or helping to manage their health. 

Choose devices with large buttons that are easy to see. Take advantage of accessibility features like large text and speech recognition to make the device easier to use. Don’t make assumptions about what seniors already know. Offer to walk them through using the device to ensure they understand. 

Don’t forget to leave written instructions they can refer to after you leave. And remember to let your loved one know about the safety features the device has to keep their information private, which can be a major concern for seniors.

Technology is a great way to stay in touch with senior loved ones and enhance their lives. If you’d like to introduce new devices to your senior loved ones, be sure to explain how they will benefit from the device, reassure them that you will help them learn to use it, and set the device up for them so that it’s as simple to use as possible.