Have you embraced your inner ‘tech’? Or do you shudder at the thought of having to jump online or use a smartphone for anything but texting? If you fall into the latter group, this could be your week! Today marks the beginning of ‘Get Online Week’, aimed at providing support for those who find technology a challenge.
Given the rapidity with which technology has evolved in recent decades, it’s hardly surprising older people dominate the technologically challenged field. From my experience, it seems you can lose touch with technology quite quickly, and that can have quite debilitating effects. These can take both practical and mental forms.
A multi-generational case study
My parents were both highly intelligent people, quick to learn and capable of grasping new concepts with little effort. Dad was an industrial chemist and mum, while not having any tertiary qualifications, worked on a very complex switchboard for many years. And yet in later life a huge chasm in their abilities to understand and use technology opened up.
It has only been my own experiences with technology over the past two decades that have helped me understand why. Twenty years ago I was a ‘tech head’ by trade and at home. I worked as a software tester, and I was the self-designated chief installer and troubleshooter of home technology. If any technological issues arose, the first word heard was almost always, “Dad …”.
That was until the older of my two sons, Oliver, began to show a knack for working things out for himself. This occurred pretty early in his life and by the time he was in double figures age-wise, he rarely needed any help from me when it came to technology.
In fact over the next few years the tables began to turn, eventually flipping completely. Now if there were technical problems, the first word uttered was, “Oliver …”.
During that period of seismic shift, other priorities dominated my mind. I went through a marriage break-up and ‘accidentally’ became a full-time writer and journalist. Technology was still important, but I had Oliver on hand at all times. There was therefore no need for me to keep up with the latest tech developments.
And I didn’t – until one day I found myself with an internet issue when Oliver was away. I quickly realised I had no idea where to start the troubleshooting process. How had this happened?
Bridging the technology gap
Fortunately Oliver was not gone long, and he resolved my problem quickly on his return. Reflecting on that little episode, I thought back to mum. I was the last of her six kids. She had her first in 1955, and for the next few decades her main focus was us kids. And then our kids, her grandkids. There was no time for keeping up with the changing technology.
I’m pretty sure mum experienced what had happened to me as I lost touch with how technology worked. I lost total confidence in my abilities to understand and resolve any technological issues.
If that was my journey over a decade, surely it would have been much tougher for mum over 50 years. I recall the struggles she had with confidence when she tried to bridge that gap in later years. With support from other family members, mum did start to bridge that gap to a small degree eventually. However, her progress coincided with worsening dementia, and it was never closed.
In hindsight, it would have been great if we’d recognised the importance of mum keeping up with technology, at least to some degree.
Keeping up with the technology Joneses
One thing mum had in her favour was that she was brought up in Australia. It’s difficult to imagine just how much harder things would be for a non-English speaking migrant in a similar situation.
Ana from Colombia was one such person. She felt excluded and stuck when she couldn’t access essential services in Australia upon her arrival in 2018. With English as a second language, she enrolled in classes to learn English and became good enough to converse face to face.
But when it came to the online world, Ana was lost. She realised she had none of the digital skills needed to participate in daily life. Seemingly basic things such as receiving basic news, or accessing health, transport, civic and education services, became huge technology hurdles.
Get Online Week 2024
Ana found a path to overcoming those hurdles through the 2023 edition of Get Online Week. Get Online Week 2024 offers similar support and pathways for others who might be in Ana’s position.
The program will also help those facing other technology challenges. Some of these were highlighted in a new report from Good Things Australia, Australian Attitudes to Getting Online 2024. The report found 19 per cent of Australians struggle to stay safe online, and 52 per cent worry about scams. Adding to this is the cost barrier to technology. Around 14 per cent of Australians are struggling to pay their internet or phone bills. One in five say they must choose between paying for internet access and other essentials like food and housing.
For anyone whose life is being negatively affected by technology barriers, Get Online Week 2024 could be a game changer. Full details of the program, which starts today, can be found here.
Have you found yourself struggling with technology? Has it affected your ability to complete important tasks? Let us know via the comments section below.
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