I mentioned a couple weeks ago my mom gave up her landline, using her cell phone exclusively. She’s in her late 70s, she can do what she wants. Being the thoughtful daughter I am, I figured she should also abandon her old flip phone, because it’s cumbersome to text on a phone pad. I offered up my old smart phone, which I quit using because it didn’t have enough memory to manage my Facebook business page from my phone.
I went over one day to show it to her and let her decide if she wanted to delve into smart phone territory. I know it’s often difficult for elderly people to learn new technology, it’s what took out my mother-in-law from all her social activities. But even if my mother can’t always manage to fix issues on her computer, she has always had a computer. I figured if she could keep up with that, she could learn to use a smart phone.
At first, she had a difficult time letting go of her flip phone because it had alarms reminding her of the various TV programs she likes to catch throughout the day. I showed her how to set up the calendar, but when she found out it only dinged once, she wasn’t so sure. She then realized her old phone was still capable of keeping time and setting off the alarms, and suggested she use both. I copped a bit of attitude and said, “So do you want this or not? We can switch you back to your old phone.” She decided we should explore it more. So I showed her how to create texts, and downloaded an app she could write lists on.
In showing her how to text, I inadvertently hit the voice capability, and her ears (figuratively) perked up. Here are the text messages my youngest received while we practiced, keep in mind I was teaching my mom how to use it, so much of it doesn’t make sense:
“Otrying new P
“If we”
“We’re trying out Bob is new phone how’d you do that well I’d much rather do that then print it out”
“So all you have to do”
“There’s a little microphone in the corner and you just push that then you can talk to your text message I like that”
“So it’s on okay I’m now have to talk okay it’s on now and then when you’re then you can send”
“Who are we sending it to but I don’t use it that often so”
“Push that and you start speaking and then you can send”
“You have to remember to get out of it again”
“Hi sweetheart hi sweetheart thanks for being patient”
“Oh Lordy I’ve created a monster”
After I left, I realized I hadn’t shown her how to just make a phone call, so I texted the instructions. There were several moments of silence, when I became concerned that she was sitting in her home in despair, unable to call or text anyone to tell us she needed help. She had another text conversation with my youngest as she practiced:
GM: Sent okay
GM: Okay did you receive anything from me
GM: Did you receive anything from me
YD: Yes I got your text
GM: Okay let’s try this again I’m not quite sure yet
YD: Yes you are texting me
GM: Are you there are you there
YD: Yes
GM: Great I think yes great I think I’m almost on top of this thank you I’m signing off now
YD: Okay, good job
A couple days later, she couldn’t remember how to text or call. I went back to her house for another lesson and set alarms on the clock app instead of using the calendar. I will probably have to go back a couple more times to totally work it out, but who am I to judge? I spent three days trying to hook up my printer by putting the cable in the wrong hole.
