While Millennials have grown up in the age of computers and technology, most of the elderly spent their lives without these resources and majority of them are unfamiliar with how to use them. Learning how to use computers, and why they’re helpful, may provide a myriad of benefits for seniors. Here are five computer tips to teach your senior loved one:
1. Write down passwords
Today there are so many websites that require users to have an account. This means signing up and creating a lot of different passwords. Seniors may have a particularly difficult time recalling these complicated letter, number and symbol combinations. Tell your older loved one to write down any password they create, and to put it in a safe place. This means not leaving the information out on a sticky note on the fridge. Instead, they can create a master list of passwords and file it in a locked drawer or other safe area. At least one person the senior trusts should know the whereabouts of this list for security reasons.
2. Use large screens
Even young people often have difficulty browsing the Web on a smartphone. These tiny screens are not the best medium for teaching seniors about technology. Instead, opt for a laptop, desktop or even a large tablet to provide a better user experience to your older loved one. You can also change the device settings to make the text bold and enlarge everything on the screen. This will make your teaching and the senior’s learning process much easier.
3. Avoid jargon
You don’t have to be a tech wizard to use computer lingo. You may not realize it, but some terms you’re familiar with, like download, upload, zip file and megabyte, seem like a foreign language to many older people. All of these words can add to their confusion and not necessarily to their learning experience. When teaching a senior about the computer, try to provide only the information he or she needs to complete a specific task. Use terms that are easy to understand and stray away from too much technical jargon. If the senior is really getting into learning, then you can break out the definitions of a PNG, JPEG and pixels.
4. Work in a quiet environment
Many seniors have hearing loss and working in loud environments can make learning computer skills difficult. Instead of trying to teach your loved one about social media while at a cafe, find a quiet place with fewer distractions, like at his or her senior living community or your own home. It’s much easier to focus on the activity at hand when there aren’t so many interruptions.
5. Share the benefits of the Web
Some seniors don’t use technology because they just don’t know how useful it can be. You can show them ways they can benefit from using the Internet, like through safe-use of automatic bill pay, online banking, buying movie tickets and more. Enlighten your older loved one about all the helpful and amazing things computers can do. He or she will likely want to learn more when you’ve explained these great assets.
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