by Phyllis Twombly

Created on: July 12, 2009

Teaching technologies to seniors can be a daunting task. In some cases there's so much resistance that it simply isn't possible. With some seniors an instructor has no hope of succeeding because of an age related reduction in mental capacity. For those who are able it's important to understand their point of view when they exhibit a lack of willingness.

Imagine the world you know taking on a different form right before your eyes. It's alarming to see increasing numbers of family and friends without job security as careers and people are downsized by technology. Even more frightening is the prospect of what you think might be happening in some nether world you can't see. Welcome to the perspective of senior citizens the world over. Much of today's computer technology was science fiction when today's seniors were born. Now it seems to be taking over.

Something as simple as the mail service is not immune to the process. The phrase 'snail mail' now refers to letters and packages delivered by the post office. Businesses and individuals have embraced email and social networking sites to communicate in a much quicker and cheaper manner. The massive number of letters and photos that are now exchanged on-line on a daily basis would probably overwhelm the physical capabilities of the mail service. Whether or not the reduced demand for postal services has allowed an increase in efficiency is still open to debate. A senior's collection of personal letters delivered by the mail may take on increasing sentimentality as the number of those letters decrease. Email can't compare to the tactile sensations of opening an envelope and pulling out its contents.

That's part of the reason so many seniors become enamored with mail-order sales services. The senior doesn't really need another non-stick pot scrubber with bonus windshield wiper cloth but the offers arrived in the otherwise empty post office box or were even delivered by a real human being! Seniors who feel lonely, neglected or left behind by technology are more likely to overcompensate with old school practices like ordering by mail. Charities and con artists alike take full advantage of the situation.

In an attempt to cut costs most banks are reducing their number of clerks while encouraging customers to adopt telephone and internet banking. Many senior citizens prefer face to face contact and a sense of knowing where their money is. Internet banking can give people a sense that money is now theoretical. The horror

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