Technology is a powerful tool for staying connected, managing daily tasks and having fun. But let’s face it, sometimes it feels like technology is moving faster than we can keep up with. New gadgets and apps come out all the time, and it can be overwhelming trying to stay on top of it all.
We sat down with tech-savvy grandmother Joanne Guerin Padovano to talk about how she uses technology and what advice she has for older adults who might be feeling a little out of place in today’s digital world.
Q: What are some ways you use technology in your daily life?
A: I use technology to stay in touch with family, track my to do list, and make traveling easier. I think one of the reasons you do it is, it makes staying in touch easier and helps you manage your life.
Q: What tools do you find most helpful in managing your daily life?
A: I Google everything! Even the other day I was picking up my granddaughter and my neighbor gave me a car seat to use. My husband and I were in the car and we couldn’t figure out how to put it together so I YouTubed it.
I use my cell phone to update my to-do list no matter where I am. When I travel, I use the YMCA app to find local gyms and the Weight Watchers app to keep up with my goals. I also use Google Sheets to stay on top of my finances.
Q: How do you use technology to stay connected to your grandchildren?
A: I frequently use FaceTime to chat with my grandchildren. I also love sending and receiving videos from them when we can’t connect in real time due to bedtime routines and schedules. We can both send and watch videos in the time frame that works for us.
Q: Are there any ways unique ways you’ve used technology to improve your life?
A: I am the family historian as far as photography goes. What I do is put a slideshow together for my grandchildren after I visit them. When I’m with my grandkids, I will show them the slideshows of themselves and they love absolutely love watching them.
Q: Have you ever found anything challenging about technology? How were you able to overcome those challenges?
A: I love to use my iPad while cooking to follow new recipes. However, I did run into an issue but with a little research, I found an easy solution. I had safety lock on my iPad so in the middle of scrolling down to get the recipe it timed out. So I taught myself how to go into settings and set it for one hour.
Q: What advice would you give other grandparents who may find technology intimidating?
A:
1. Take the time to learn. I spent many hours taking classes when I retired. Check out your local library for classes that may interest you.
2. If you mess up, don’t sweat it! Take mistakes as learning experiences. I had the unfortunate experience of losing a lot of precious photos in one instance. I was very disappointed, but decided to take it as a learning lesson and after doing some research, I immediately purchased an external drive to back up my photos from then on. Any slip ups can be viewed as learning opportunities! For example, if you lost a spreadsheet, do it over again. You are teaching yourself the technique.
3. Ask questions and don’t be afraid to try something new. I use Google and YouTube frequently when I want to try something new or run into an issue.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or left behind when technology seems to evolve faster than we can blink. But tech-savvy grandmother Joanne reminds us that age is not a barrier to embracing the digital era.
By adopting a mindset of exploration and continuous learning, older adults can harness the power of technology to enrich their lives and stay connected in an ever-changing world.
Do you have creative ways you use technology to improve your daily life and stay connected with family? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!