A Continuing Saga of Adaptation + Frustration
By Estelle Rodis-Brown
It’s complicated.
When older adults talk about their relationship with technology, they enjoy its benefits yet complain about the frustrations it causes.
Older adults born into an analog world still prefer hands-on, face-to-face, mechanical interactions. Regardless, they’ve adapted to digital ways of doing business and managing everyday interactions, from online banking to entertainment streaming, telemedicine appointments and Zoom calls.
But sometimes, the pace of change in the digital world is overwhelming, and older adults are frustrated that freshly-acquired digital skills quickly become useless due to constant updates on digital platforms.
This is what the Boomer magazine team heard from people aged 63-87 who attended the free Geauga Senior Technology Expo recently at the West Geauga Senior Center in Chesterland, co-sponsored by University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, Ohman Family Living, and Geauga Department on Aging. The event provided tech information, speakers and hands-on help to community members.
Northeast Ohio Boomer magazine surveyed participants to gauge how adults 50 and older use technology and found mixed results. On the positive side, most agreed with Mary Ann Sheranko, 85, of Chardon, who says technology has allowed for “communication with old friends and more opportunities to know what’s going on in the world.” And yet, “constant changes and need to purchase new equipment” were top frustrations among most attendees.
While they are determined to stay engaged, the process can be overwhelming for older adults. Amy Katz, 63, of Newbury, says, “I want to be able to hook up electronics and get it running without calling my son.”
Some attendees felt lost in the digital world. One woman confessed, “I had to call my sister to see if my phone is a smartphone or not. She said, ‘Your phone is smart; not sure about its use.’’
The most-used digital devices among attendees were smartphones (100%), followed by tablets, desktop computers, then smart TVs.
The most-used tech applications were email, texting, then phone calls. (Social media, games and news were identified as the most-used secondary digital pastimes. Respondents’ top three wishes were to use their smartTV, smartphone and computer more easily.
As it turns out, our Geauga neighbors are quite representative of older adults throughout the nation. According to Consumer Affairs (which interviewed over 1,000 people over age 45 about their ability to adapt to and use new technology), 91% of Gen Xers and Baby Boomers feel overwhelmed by technology. Over one-third of them are overwhelmed by technology every day (38%) while another 26% feel it at least a few times a week.
Computers, social media and smartphones cause the most frustration and confusion. Since computers double their capabilities every two years, this leads to numerous changes for users to adapt to and is probably why computers were named the most overwhelming form of technology, with Instagram and Facebook close behind.
There is a silver lining. When confronted by a challenging situation (like the COVID pandemic), older Americans eventually turn to tech to get things done, like paying bills, ordering groceries or managing take-out deliveries.
Both Gen X and Baby Boomers have also learned to entertain themselves online through video and music content, especially by watching Netflix (62%) and enjoying music on YouTube (38%).
While it’s clear that tech advances can create challenges, older adults ultimately demonstrate resilience, motivation and hope regarding technology and its always-changing upgrades. When it comes to tech, many are finding, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”
