Ever since humans and their ancestors invented the very first tools more than three million years ago, technology has been a part of our lives.<\/p>\n
From writing and numbers, the printing press and steam engine, the telegraph through to the \u201cinformation age\u201d with the development of computers, the internet, social media, and artificial intelligence now prevail. While the latter generations are mostly born into it the change, members of the older generations have to keep and adapt. Many do, some fall behind<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not the case for C\u00f4te Saint-Luc\u2019s Joy Haas, a 72-year-old nurse, who says she has embraced technology from the get-go, learning along the way and enjoying all the benefits that these advancements had to offer. \u201cWhen I raised my kids, I used to say, \u2018I can guide you, but you have to figure it out for yourself,\u2019 so when we first got into computers, my kids said, \u2018Mom, remember: you have to figure it out for yourself.\u2019 They never helped me in the beginning,\u201d Haas said with a chuckle. \u201cI can be stubborn and determined. I will sit until three in the morning to figure something out. I won\u2019t give up.\u201d<\/p>\n
The same goes for Catherine Rahal, a 76-year-old retired financial advisor from or Notre-Dame-de-Gr\u00e2ce. \u201cMy interest in technology began when I bought a computer in the early 1990s, and I got it home and the floppy drive wouldn\u2019t work,\u201d Rahal explained. \u201cSo, I opened it up and I got it to work. Or I could use the mouse or the keyboard but not at the same time, and it took nine hours, but I got it fixed. I\u2019m very persistent in that way. I just ended up self-educating over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Joy Haas and Catherine Rahal.<\/p>\n
Photos: Courtesy Joy Haas and Catherine Rahal<\/p>\n
She has also taken apart and put together a desktop computer. Today, she has all the bells and whistles when it comes to gadgets, from a cell phone and tablet to an Apple Mac Mini and an Apple watch.<\/p>\n
Haas, who also loves using a range of devices, said a big reason she stayed on top of technological improvements was because she was a big fan of going paperless. \u201cI\u2019m very conscious of the environment, and going paperless was the start of me being really serious about technology,\u201d she said. \u201cI just kept playing around until I figured it out. I\u2019m not a genius but I\u2019m certainly very comfortable with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Haas and Rahal aren\u2019t the only seniors who are utilizing the available technology out there. According to Statistics Canada, in 2022, approximately 82.6 per cent of Canadian seniors (aged 65 and older) used the internet, with 72 per cent of those 75 and older also online. This translates to a significant number of connected seniors, as Statistics Canada projects the population aged 65 and over could reach nearly 12 million by 2051, meaning technology use among seniors is only becoming more prevalent.<\/p>\n
Seniors choose to use technology for a myriad of reasons. It\u2019s a way for them to stay connected and in touch with long-distance friends and family. This could be extremely beneficial to those who are lonely and isolated, or who live in more remote areas. Learning how to type and manoeuvre a mouse can be good exercises in hand-eye coordination and fine motor skill tuning. Apps or websites that offer things like interactive games and puzzles can be useful for cognitive brain function. It can be used for practical applications, such as setting reminders to take medications or go to an appointment. Smart home technology can ease independent living \u2013 you can set the thermostat or alarm remotely from a device.<\/p>\n
E-books and streaming services can provide endless entertainment options. Trackers and fall detection bracelets can offer lifesaving uses, especially for those who have limited mobility or suffer from any kind of dementia. All in all, it can empower older people because they\u2019re learning something new and becoming part of a broader community of people (technology users).<\/p>\n
Frederic Aubuchon is launching a new venture called SeniorTech, an education platform that is geared specifically towards seniors and teaches them about a wide range of technology applications, from navigating email to surfing the web, managing social media accounts, and using their cell phones.<\/p>\n
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Photo: Getty Images \/ LaylaBird<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many seniors who are curious and want to know more,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you didn\u2019t grow up with technology, you don\u2019t understand the curve. Seniors want to know how to use social media on a base level and they want to explore more of their features. The basics that we think are day to day are groundbreaking for them when they learn it. And when they do, they can finally share all those things that they see. It\u2019s about putting them onto the most optimal things that we use every day. This is something that is brand new to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added, \u201cI do a lot of password resets, too. A lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to teaching seniors how to manage their own digital logistics, Aubuchon said he\u2019s answering a bigger need of helping seniors understand technology at its core. \u201cThere are a lot of isolation many seniors face with technology, and it\u2019s important to bridge the digital divide that exists. There are so many positives, and good things that come out of teaching seniors about technology.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI fight aging all the time, and I\u2019m always in denial,\u201d Haas admitted. \u201cI\u2019m forever at the gym and dieting. I knew I would eventually need technology for work, but now I cannot imagine my life without iPads, iPhones, and tablets.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is so much stuff out there,\u201d Rahal said. \u201cThere needs to be continued education for seniors and technology. We can\u2019t live adequately without internet access anymore. It\u2019s a must.\u201d n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ever since humans and their ancestors invented the very first tools more than three million years ago, technology…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":97614,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[262],"tags":[195,5149,314,15490,21171,21172,18,19,17,62463,62462,62464,864,62465,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-97613","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-computing","8":"tag-apple-inc","9":"tag-computers","10":"tag-computing","11":"tag-consumer-electronics","12":"tag-cyberspace","13":"tag-digital-media","14":"tag-eire","15":"tag-ie","16":"tag-ireland","17":"tag-mobile-app","18":"tag-mobile-computers","19":"tag-personal-computing","20":"tag-software","21":"tag-tablet-computer","22":"tag-technology"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97613"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97613\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/97614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}