How do you help older people keep up with modern technology?
The world has changed rapidly over the past two decades with the internet, new technologies and the accelerated transfer of information.
Anyone not actively working online or in IT may have trouble keeping up with these "tech trends." This is especially true for older generations who did not have the opportunity to grow up with computers as it is today.
If we want to adapt to a new change on a large scale, whether it is a better use of AI, Bitcoin, etc., we need to educate them somehow.
Do you help elderly family members (parents, grandparents) and older generations navigate new technologies? If yes, how?
I have a few tips that I have tried:
Buy seniors a smartphone, tablet (at least the simplest device to get practice)
Explain to them the basics of how it works, practical things for their real-life situations
Create courses for seniors, where you explain to them the pitfalls of the internet, using devices, etc. – I have personal experience with this and I mostly taught seniors things like how to find news, how to verify the source of news, tech news (deep fake videos, etc.), finding public transport, shopping online and scams to avoid, sending emails, just to name a few.
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I taught my dad how to use YouTube, and it honestly made an amazing difference. Now he looks up everything by himself, like how to fix small things at home, cooking videos, and even old songs he used to love. It’s such a simple source; once they get the hang of it, it really helps them learn.
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@hamza_afzal_butt I also need to praise my family members, they started shopping online and now, they shop more frequently than me :D
@busmark_w_nika, who doesn't like shopping? 😄
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@hamza_afzal_butt people who do not have any money in their bank account. 💀
@busmark_w_nika can't buy things, but has the craze to buy (to do shopping), which we call window shopping 😉
Hi Nika, interesting topic and I'm glad to know what you're doing to help seniors.
Imho, one of the most important part of using the new technologies is privacy and security, and how to protect themselves, not just by bringing awareness to the typical scams, but also let them know and understand the permissions that they give when they visit a website or install an app.
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@terabitcoins Thank you for mentioning it. It is worth including it in the next curriculum. :)
@busmark_w_nika You're welcome Nika.
You may also want to add something about device settings, like bluetooth, location, nearby devices, nfc, hotspot, and the dangers that they are exposed when connecting to "free" wifi networks ;)
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@terabitcoins I think that this was also part of our effort, but we had only 4 days (4 hours per 4 days) to cover this and even with fast pace, they struggled a lot with practical part :D
@busmark_w_nika I understand how hard it is, especially in that elderly audience, when there are so many important topics to cover and explain.
Maybe you can include it on future sessions for the ones that may be really interested... Potential "upsell" options ;)
Keep your great work on educating with your valuable knowledge and experience, Nika.
@terabitcoins This is so important! I teach my parents about how to avoid scams sent over email, text, and phone calls. There's a lot of basic cybersecurity precautions that frequent tech users take for granted like confirming who is sending you an email, checking what links are actually linking you to, and knowing that when in doubt, to never click on a link from an email.
@katrinarodriguez Yes, those are very important topics to bring more awareness to online security.
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@terabitcoins @katrinarodriguez This is also what I pointed out because these scams happened to me frequently, so they received it first-hand from me :D
@busmark_w_nika this is great! Anyone with older parents/grandparents gets shivers down their spine reading this lol Bottom line - it's difficult! My mother is constantly calling me to fix the apple tv, even though there's nothing to fix. She just gets confused by all the apps, and she's had it for years. Ultimately, you have to look at it like it's a new language. If you're not fluent early, you will always struggle somewhat to catch up. Even for those of us in the tech space, it evolves so fast it catches most of us off guard at times. Still feels like we're in the teen phase of technology: rough around the edges, but with a lot of energy and growth. I think ultimately tech will trend back towards less noise and greater simplicity, which - old and young - will all appreciate.
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@light_silver You named it so well. Cannot imagine not using the internet and having access to all the new things. That's why I am on Product Hunt – to be early in the tech business.
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I remember when I taught my grandma to use a computer, it was really important to her to take notes of every step so she could revisit this plan anytime. She kept a notebook with instructions like 'how to check the weather' and 'how to pay for something' and so on :)
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@olgacherepanova Exactly. Such basic things for everyday life. I understand it is not easy for them when they work with newspapers and TV for 40 years, but to have "skills" in more devices gives more opportunities :)
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I have not done my part for this. I'm basically a digital human, I'm on a computer or phone all the time, at work and at home. And yet mother only uses her phone to text people and play solitaire and she doesn't seem to have any interest to do any more than that!
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@appsforhumans I think that this is not the best approach from her side, because things are becoming digitalised and sooner or later, most things will be running on the internet. Then, she will feel excluded, and that is not good.
Nika, technology should be a bridge, not a gap. For our elders, the key isn't mass adoption, but meaningful connection. Let's teach the tools that amplify their lives: easy communication, access to essentials, daily simplification. Patience and relevance are the way. Technology should humanize, not alienate.
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@kenedy_paulino That was the goal ;) But it requires mutual effort and practice over time. :)
@busmark_w_nika yeah of course
What a thoughtful post, @busmark_w_nika, love the intention behind it.
I totally agree that keeping up with tech can be overwhelming, especially for older folks who didn’t grow up with this constant wave of updates, apps, and “just one more password.” I've definitely been the go-to family IT helpdesk — from setting up tablets to patiently explaining (again) how to send a photo through WhatsApp.
What’s helped in my case is connecting tech to things they genuinely care about; like using WhatsApp to see grandkids, or YouTube to find old music they love. Once there’s a real emotional reason behind it, the learning sticks way better.
Thanks for bringing this up — it's such an important conversation to keep having.
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@natalia_eiriz HOT topic info: We also give seniors tablets, but they probably gave them to their grandchildren. 😅 It is kind of them, but also a pity because they could be connected with their grandkids online (I do not think that they see their relatives so often offline).
@busmark_w_nika Probably you are right, and they do not see them so often. It would be nice to make their grandchildren conscious about how much they can help their grandparents using their tablets. And give them the important rol of teachers of their elders. By the way, who is we?
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@natalia_eiriz I think the best way is to be example for others :) This can also influence them.
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@malithmcrdev 😅 That applies also to me [my eyesight got worse], and I am not senior yet. :D
Taught my parents how to use ChatGPT. Huge kudos to the Ghibli moment that made this happen lol.
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@thefullstack Did you teach them/demonstrate it via Ghibli?
Thank you for sharing these thoughtful tips, Nika! Helping older generations stay connected and confident with technology is so important in today’s fast-paced digital world. I especially appreciate your focus on practical, real-life applications and educating them about online safety—understanding scams and verifying information can make a huge difference. Creating dedicated courses is a fantastic idea, as it provides a supportive environment for seniors to learn at their own pace. I’ve found that patience, clear explanations, and hands-on practice really help too. Looking forward to hearing more about your experiences and any new strategies you discover!