Aging Well: Technology — love it, or Luddite?

Without technology, many of us would never have connected. The daily lives of the over-70 generations today are so different from those of our grandparents.

We face a never-ending parade of new technologies that make our lives easier, more connected, entertaining, and sometimes frustrating. It also means that we’ve been in continual learning and adapting mode because of rapid innovations. 

We began our lives when the world moved at a slower pace, connected by voice with telephones and radio — definitely not as digital natives. Then came television, word processors, computers, email, the internet, smartphones, Zoom, and electric cars. Video games and robots arrived, too, but those were on the sidelines of my life. Some technologies came and went in our lifetime. Dictating machines, slide projectors, records, cassettes, fax machines, and CDs. I learned to use them all, and then suddenly they disappeared.

Disparate takes on tech

As I look around at my peers in my town and those I’ve met in my research, I see that we 70-, 80-, and 90-year-olds are all over the place in terms of our comfort and skills with computers. Many of us learned skills somewhere, often in the workplace. At the other extreme, some of us live without email or smartphones. A few don’t use a TV for anything but news. But older people are becoming more tech-savvy, and some 75% of those over age 65 use the internet. According to a 2021 Pew Research survey, 96% of those ages 18 to 29 own a smartphone compared with 61% of those 65 and older, a 35 percentage point difference. However, that gap decreased from 53 points in 2012.

Technology is inescapable — for me, it’s included reading newsletters on a smartphone, emailing on a desktop computer, employing software for writing, logging in to Zoom meetings, running errands in a computer on four wheels, and wrapping up the day with a sleep-inducing book on a Kindle. 

That’s so different from how it has been for older people in all of history.

Hats off to us in the over-70 generations. We have learned to use all kinds of technologies that did not exist in our youth. This pioneering spirit should be celebrated. Most of us have made our way onto the technology train and have seen how incredibly enriching it can be. A feast of knowledge, opportunity, and connection is just a click away. 

“It isn’t that easy, Katharine,” you are probably saying. And, of course, you are right, dear reader. Technology today is not always easy or a love fest. It can be terrifying, frustrating, annoying, and upsetting. We have all struggled to learn and keep up with the many changes. We all have friends who have paid many unnecessary dollars to hoaxes and scams.

Hitting the panic button

On one daunting occasion, the Zoom link to my writers group didn’t work. I panicked. I abandoned my usually optimistic adult self, and for 10 minutes I floundered, tense and upset. I chided myself: “You idiot, you jerk. How stupid can you be? Any 9-year-old kid today knows how to do this. What’s wrong with you?” 

I went from there right into a familiar lament: “I didn’t grow up with technology, I can’t learn this stuff, I am way too old to even try. I wish we could just go back to the way it was.” 

Finally, a group member sent me a new link that, of course, worked perfectly. With a little help from my friend, I resumed my life and quickly obliterated the memory of my collapse. 

Many of us are fearful of what we have yet to face — notably artificial intelligence, and especially ChatGPT. This interactive tool not only can answer all kinds of questions but can also churn out original essays on all sorts of subjects and even write poems on demand. 

As I have read about ChatGPT, I’ve thought, “Oh, no. This is terrifying — like the end of creativity. Won’t this just make everything more complicated for writers, teachers, parents, or students?” 

While artificial intelligence promises great change, there is no need to panic. There will always be more innovations to keep things from getting out of hand. This is my optimistic adult self taking control. 

Guidance for keeping pace

I will end with a few tips on how to live with ever-faster-changing technology.

• Get help. Most people over 70 need to get used to asking for help. Ask friends or family for aid sooner than you want to. Stop being afraid to bother your children or grandchildren. It can be a point of connection. This is not the place to display self-reliance.
• Hire helpers if you can afford it. To get free or low-cost help, check your local libraries, councils on aging, and senior centers for technology volunteers or classes. Or find free technology support online with volunteer educational groups like Cyberseniors.
• Don’t blame yourself if you encounter problems. Technology is difficult for everyone — even some 30-year-olds can’t keep up — and it’s even harder for us with aging brains, as it takes longer to learn new things. But research shows we can learn if we are patient and determined and treat ourselves kindly.
• Use it or lose it. We need to keep practicing, or we lose what we have. After I retired from my psychotherapy practice, I forgot how to send a Zoom invite and had to relearn it.