How the Elderly Is Affected by New Technology

Essay: HOW THE ELDERLY IS AFFECTED BY NEW TECHNOLOGY by V. Young Most of the elderly grandparents share frustration with new technology. They have grown up in a time when everything around them was produced, developed, or managed without the use of gadgets and gimmicks propelled by technology. Their generation was mostly hands-on while this generation is hands-off. Everyday tasks leads to frustration. When doing the laundry, there are buttons to press to get it done. The television is powered by direct tv/cable with 300-500 stations. The ceiling lights, sprinkler system, heating and air conditioner is a delicate system that requires skill to work it. Driving the car and making repairs is a tremendous task when all its working parts is generated by a complicated electronic system. The elderly sees technology as an unwelcome change just to make phone calls. They see these small, voice activated, cordless, hand held devices, with letters/numbers too small and general operations is a headache, even with the use of a magnifying glass. Most appliances are remote controlled by voice or touch. Even push a button and your coffee is made. Most elderly people lack the education in technology to be able to keep up with this rapid pace. What's worse is that they don't see how they fit into this technological world. When visiting doctors, attorneys, and other specialized personnel, the elderly may not be able to understand the terminology in these various fields. Visits are short, providing too much information to absorbed at once. Knowledge and use of computers could be an effective tool, if they had the skills necessary to use it. Society seems to ignore the elderly, forgetting that many have paved the way for this technological advancement. Elderly individuals are usually on a fixed income. Many live alone, often depending on trustworthy, skilled laborers to repair everyday household items. However, it can prove to be costly, stressful, with a sense of vulnerability, when hiring someone. This generation of young people may not understand the complex nature of technology placed on the elderly. Every senior citizen should be given an opportunity to learn the new way of life. The challenge of knowing technology gets greater, as new and innovative technology emerges each day.