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Computer Resources for Older People?
Your_Mom asks: "My mother has recently become involved in computing. She has familiarized herself with many of the basics like: going to certain web sites, typing out simple Word documents, and so forth. However, she has recently expressed interest in learning more. Where can I find resources for older computer users, teaching simple things like word processing, spreadsheets, searching the web, etc.?"
Why don't you just look for information for people NEW to computers.
Older people don't have any handicaps that keep them from using computers, bud.
There is the idiot's and dummies guides.
Have her tune into TechTV for the Call for Help show.
Get her the "professor" CD self study guides.
Have her use what knowledge she has about writing documents in Word (write, notepad, whatever) to generate a list of the things she has questions about, that you then turn around into a Wiki to explain those concepts. Show her how to edit and add more questions to the Wiki, and see where things go from there.
Check with the community education people in your area to see if they have courses that would interest her.
If you have gone through all of that, and still have nothing that works, spend some time, sitting with her and asking her what she is doing. Also ask her if there is something she would like to do, but doesn't know how to do that.
Different people learn in different ways, at different speeds, and with different intentions. If she is already getting as much out of the computer as she is interested in, be comfortable with that, and let her do her thing.
-Rusty
You never know...
Yeah I had the idea (or probably not, since we're seldom original)
...
I can't program kernels specially.
Of making a Granny OS - very simple safe - cute and secure.
There is one slightest problem
Maybe in 5 years time!
Set up an old box with no net access and an unused/unneeded hard drive. Show them how to boot from the Knoppix CD. Show them point and click, copy/paste, where different program types are etc..
Tell them they cant hurt anything because:
A. Everything in this box is getting scrapped or is going to gather dust for 5 years.
B. It isnt connected to the network.
C. Everything they do ( except messing with the hard drive - formatting writing something to it etc.. HD is surplus etc..) will dissapear the next time it is shutdown.
Then ask what they wants to start doing, point the way, and stand back.
Encourage them to explore, and get them to laugh when something doesnt work. Then they will become a lot more comfortable with strange and cryptic programs and commands and not fear the computer.
( Yes, treat them like a small child learning something new. Basically, that is what is happening. )
If they do something they want to save, use a floppy or a USB key to save it.
Oh BS!
I suppose the cost of raising a child and helping put them through school wasn't enough. I'm not sure what kind of relationship the original author has with his/her parents but mine would be just the opposite. If I tell them something they would believe me over someone else no matter what they paid the person. I guess it comes down to a matter of trust.
I've went through the same thing with my parents. Help them get the hardware. Set them up with useful programs and show them some basics then let them play for a while. If they really enjoy it they will come back with many questions. I know I was more than happy to share my hobby (and work) a bit with my parents. At least they have a little more understanding of what I do.
One should not theorize before one has data. -Sherlock Holmes-
The challenges can be special. First, vision. Many seniors have bifocal reading glasses and/or varifocal near-far glasses. Neither is great for reading a computer screen. If they don't have good computer glasses, it is quite normal for them to
- not even see a dialog box right in front of them
- not read the screen
- tilt their head upward whenever they need to read the screen
- be unable to read the smaller print
A large (19 or 21 inch) screen with moderate resolution (less than 1024 X 768) helps a lot. Lowering resolution can improve readability tremendously.Next, arthritis. Mousing and keyboard use can be quite challenging for some seniors. I've seen right-handed people use the mouse in the left hand and refuse to let me switch the buttons because it would be too confusing. Head and neck angle ergonomics matter more for arthritics.
Memory. It's tough for them to learn and use the keyboard shortcuts, since there is no visual prompt, so don't teach them. Rely on things with a visual prompt like menus. Even the edit menu. I've given up on teaching windows seniors the alt-tab switcher numerous times. Finger pain from arthritis plays a role here too.
New abstractions. It's tough to teach a tree control directory structure to someone whose life experience has been raising children. The difference between main memory and the disk escapes them.
Rigorous maintainance. Visiting a senior relative after an absence of a few years, I found that 19 Critical Updates from Windows Updates were pending and had not been installed. Likewise for backups, defrag, anti-virus... If a TV doesn't require it, they won't remember it.
The computer will often not get the priority that it would get in a work or student situation. The computer table will be used for other things, such as board games, eating, putting on makeup, writing checks, and so on. The computer books and the installation disks get lost. There may not be any organization to the place where the computer is. The chair so carefully selected may be in another room.
Opportunities
Seniors like games more than I thought they would. Card games, backgammon, and computerized versions of board and table-top games go over well. Shooter games are less interesting than to the younger crowd, but ymmv.
Human communication. Email, voice over ip, photos by mail, and all that are all very interesting to seniors. Especially women.
Persistance. They will keep at it for a decade or more, learning as they go.
Gizmophilia. Back-to-nature, home-cooking, earth mothers eventually succumb to a fascination with the latest gizmos and start exploring.
Finally, be warned that some seniors like porn and aren't sophisticated enough to hide it well. Don't go exploring in their hard drive unless you're ready to deal with the consequences. If the old man is having computer trouble but won't accept help, it might be pride, but it might be an attempt to prevent grossing out the youngsters!
I18N == Intergalacticization