My mother. She’s something. Capable, cute and clever. But, in front of the computer, she’s a nervous nelly, especially if she ever wants to purchase something online. Actually, she never has purchased anything online before today. A classic hint-hint, female-to-female conversation between us looks something like this:
Mom: I saw this great book at book store in Berkeley when I was visiting your sister.
Me: Oh, what was the book, Mom?
Mom: ABC (where ABC represents the title). I really liked it. Darn. I should have purchased it then.
Me: Hey, Mom. I bet I can find it on Amazon.com or ebay? How about if I buy it for you and you can pay me back?
Mom: Really? That sounds great. Thanks.
This is all code language between us, only lightly disguising the fact that my mother, 67, doesn’t trust online financial transactions. At all! So, you can my imagine my surprise today when an urgent request came flying at me:
Mom: Jessie, I’m trying to renew my nurse’s license online, and I have problem with my credit card.
Me: (Trying not to fall over with shock) Really? How can I help you, Mom?
Mom: They need a security code. My credit card doesn’t have a security code.
Me: (Trying not to laugh and understanding that we were in delicate territory here), Oh, I know what they are asking of you. (Followed by a simple explanation of what to do.)
Mom: It worked! Thanks.
Me: No problem. Happy to help.
On a personal front, I’m delighted that she took the red pill and lived to see another day. On a more conceptual and strategic note, I genuinely believe that there is a deep need for technical support to older folk, in particular, as the day-to-day functions of life become more digital and technical. Anyway, I don’t need to rehash it; I blogged my perspective here.
This evening: Off to Iron Bridge Wine for a wine tasting this evening. I don’t really give a hoot about the details of the wine. (My brain just does not store these factoids no matter how many times I’ve been exposed to this info.) But hanging out with the gals is good fun: A preacher, a newly minted Esquire (get yourself an online profile, girl!) and – quoting from The Sun – an energizing community volunteer.
2 Comments
May 20, 2008 at 7:03 am
Both my parents were that way, but it just takes them actually using them and seeing how they work to get them comfortable.
As little as five years ago, my Dad would look up all his stocks in the newspaper everyday, write them down on paper, then add them up – something that would take him some time to do. He was hesitant to even use the Internet. Then I showed him how he could plug his entire portfolio into Yahoo! and it would do all the work for him…he hasn’t looked back since.
Two years ago, my Mom told me my laptop was a waste of money, she loved her “walkman”, and berated me for dumping my landline on favor of a cell phone….now my mother has a laptop, an iPod (which I don’t even have), and cell phone she uses even when she is in her own house when she is too lazy to go to the regular phone.
May 23, 2008 at 4:39 pm
You know your point is really valid Jessie, that it’s time to intentionally support “digital immigrants,” (phrase from Mark Prensky) in increasing their comfort and skills online.
We are no longer able to say things like “some folks just don’t use email” with the same ease or acceptability that it happened even a year ago.
In Oakland Mills we are offering classes at a community space for our less tech savvy residents, many of whom are older, on how to engage in the local online community, as well as the world wide online community, with more comfort and ease.
Thanks to folks like the local bloggers local community connection is a rapidly shifting landscape more and more impacted and facilitated by social networking and online connections. And in order to include both digital natives and digital immigrants and continue to make room at the table for everyone, it’s a good idea to be intentional about offering a hand to bring everyone who wants to along.
That’s my two cents at the start of a long weekend. Happy Memorial Day all.