Tech Talk
By Tak Sato
When the last Tech Talk column of 2020 hits the streets, we will be at the start of the holiday season, a season that will feel a little different because of COVID-19.
Getting together with family and friends in-person provides emotional connections that everyone needs. Paraphrasing the 17th Century poet John Donne, “No person is an island.” Four centuries later, the expression still rings true.
Current COVID-19 safety protocol promotes physical distancing. But studies have shown that prolonged social distancing can lead to loneliness or clinical depression that can affect physical and mental health.
Safe Visits
I believe the shot in the arm is digital literacy, using the internet as a 21st Century life skill. For those who use their smartphones, tablets or computers for more than keeping up on social media, I know this is preaching to the choir. For the uninitiated, though, I’ve listed a few of those benefits in the accompanying story.
The single most important benefit of digital literacy is the communication options it provides for maintaining emotional connectedness despite physical distancing.
I’ve been benefiting from such an option, especially the kind that adds real-time connections. For decades, my relationship with my parents in Japan and my in-laws in the Philippines have been healthy, thanks to technology. A trip home every couple of years brought unrivaled emotional connectedness but in-between visits have been buoyed through video conferencing, video chats or video calls.
Even in countries where technology is a luxury, which was the case for my in-laws, it took only a gift of a tablet, internet connection, and a demonstration for my father-in-law to see the benefit of a video call. He could see his daughter anytime and his grandchildren grow right in front of his eyes.
I consider the process to start/join a video chat session very coachable. Our nonprofit has been successfully helping older adults master digital literacy, including using video call apps. I know, however, that the process can be challenging for many people.
Smart Display touch screens that are part of a smart speaker system can simplify starting or joining video chats. The chart accompanying this story has examples that you can Google to get more information.
Digital literacy is not only about video calls or social media. Its ability to help us make emotional connections is one very important benefit for the social creatures that we are.
Playing It Safe
Pandemic Technology
- Do you Duo, FaceTime, Zoom, Meet, Skye, Team or use other video conferencing or chat platforms to keep in touch with your family, friends, and community?
- Do you use your library’s free digital services to stream movies, TV shows, music and to download books, magazines and newspapers? Refer to the July/August 2018 issue of Boomer to learn more. Find back issues at Northeastohioboomer.com.
- Do you order groceries from local supermarkets for delivery or curbside pickup?
- Do you pay your bills with online banking (often free)?
- Do you shop online with local and national stores?
- Do you monitor your credit cards online?
Video Conferencing Platforms
| Application Developer | Application Name | Price for Service? | |||||
| Duo | Free | ||||||
| Apple | FaceTime | Free | |||||
| Meet | Free | ||||||
| Messenger | Free | ||||||
| Microsoft | Skype | Free | |||||
| Microsoft | Team | Free, $ | |||||
| Cisco | WebEx | Free, $ | |||||
| Zoom | Zoom | Free, $ | |||||
Tak Sato is a founder of the Cleveland-area nonprofit Center for Aging in the Digital World at empowerseniors.org.
