Technology can truly transform the lives of older people. Seniors who have ended up living at a distance from family members can stay in touch via video calls. Elderly people who have mobility or cognitive difficulties can get assistance with completing everyday tasks. And older people with health issues can use technology to monitor their conditions and call for help if a crisis occurs.

But introducing new technology to older friends and family can be tricky. It’s human nature to be resistant to change, and some technologies can be confusing and intimidating for older people.

That’s why it’s so important to use the right approaches when you are helping an elderly person get started with a new device. Below, we share eight tips for assisting your elderly loved one with using an unfamiliar technology.

1. Get their buy-in

Elderly people can sometimes begin to feel that they are losing their autonomy or that people aren’t listening to what they want. That’s why the first step in introducing an older person to unfamiliar technology is showing them respect and gaining their approval for the new device.

To this end, you’ll want to explain the benefits that the new technology will have and why it’s important. You might also want to show testimonials or evidence from other users, particularly other older people, or newspaper articles giving the device a positive review.

If an older person is on board with the idea of learning to use the new tech, all of the other steps in this list will become much easier. The elderly person and their family will be a team working together to get the new device functional.

It also goes without saying that you’ll want to get their permission for the steps on this list that involve you touching or modifying any of their devices.

2. Reduce annoyances related to starting up and using the device

Friction is a term used in tech to describe the extra work or hassle involved in using any technology. If a task on a computer requires clicking numerous boxes or switching between lots of windows, it might have a lot of friction. A task that feels effortless and requires just a click or two has far less friction.

In other words, friction is one thing that can make using technology annoying. When any tech user encounters friction with a new technology, there’s a risk that they will throw their hands up in frustration and walk away.

So, you’ll want to minimise all friction and extra difficulty associated with the device or technology.

If a senior is starting to use an ordinary smartphone, for example, you could make their experience feel smoother and easier by setting the phone up and inputting relevant phone numbers ahead of time. If the phone’s ready to use as soon as they pick it up, that might be far more appealing. Alternatively, you could sit with them to set it up and make the process easier that way.

In contrast, a phone sitting in a box might present a hurdle that an older person won’t cross on their own – or they might get part-way through the setup and give up out of frustration at needing to make an account or enter information they don’t know.

If the device needs extra components like batteries or chargers, get those in place and ready before handing the device over. The goal is to make using this technology as effortless as possible.

3. Choose intuitive and accessible devices

Naturally, friction can come from a device’s design too. If a device is naturally intuitive and simple to use, a senior is more likely to feel enthusiastic about it and to keep using it.

Elderly people who aren’t as familiar with using tech or who have mild dementia may benefit from simplified interfaces or devices. For example, you can buy mobile phones specifically designed for elderly people with dementia. These phones typically have far fewer buttons and require fewer steps to use.

On a similar note, consider accessibility features when you’re selecting and introducing a technology. For example, larger fonts or a different contrast can make screens more readable. Also, look out for devices, such as talking watches, that include accessibility features as a part of their core design. These watches can be handy for seniors with weaker vision as well as for those who are actually blind.

4. Introduce skills gradually

No-one likes to feel that they’re not good at using technology. That’s why it’s best to help your elderly relative learn one skill at a time, so that they can feel good about their achievement before moving on to the next challenge. In contrast, trying to tackle all the functions of a device in one afternoon could be completely overwhelming.

Teachers often use an educational approach known as “I do, we do, you do.” This is just what it sounds like – the instructor demonstrates the task, then the instructor and student do the task together, then the student does the task alone. This works well because simply demonstrating a skill isn’t often a good way of teaching. People need to try the skill with a mentor by their side before they can do it completely alone.

5. Give patient guidance and encourage all questions without judgement

It’s crucial not to make an older person feel silly or useless when they are trying to use a new technology. Be patient as they learn, encourage them to ask any questions that they have, and answer every question with equal enthusiasm.

If your older relative is asking questions about their new device, that’s likely a good sign because it means they want to use it.

6. Connect to concepts they already know

Another generally good principle in teaching is to connect new concepts to ones that the learner is already familiar with. If you can create an analogy comparing a new technology to something an older person has used before, they may understand it better.

If they are using a smart home assistant, for example, you could explain that it’s a little bit like having a secretary. The assistant can answer questions, give them reminders and make a note of appointment dates and times in a virtual diary.

7. Create clear written instructions for them to use

Device manuals can contain a huge amount of information in tiny font. That makes them very hard to use for older people who may have poorer vision and feel uncomfortable with the technology anyway.

To help out, you could create a simplified list of clear, basic instructions to remind them how to use the device. Keep it short, with larger fonts, bullet points and numbered steps to make things clearer. If possible, you could also include screenshots or pictures of each step.

You'll likely want to print this document out and give it to them, but sharing it by email could be good too.

8. Assist with switching over from older devices

In some instances, older people may be attached to an older or obsolete technology that a new technology is replacing. In these cases, you could give them a hand by helping them transition from the old technology to the new.

If they have an old desktop computer and you’re introducing them to a new laptop, for instance, you could assist them with moving any relevant old files to the new device or to the cloud. Of course, as we’ve mentioned already, you’ll need to get their permission before you do this.

Reducing the risks from falls with SureSafe

As SureSafe, our personal alarms for the elderly are designed to be simple and intuitive to use, which makes older people more likely to adopt them. With our one-touch alarms, an older person can call for help by touching just a single button – no complicated processes involved, and no installation required.

Seniors who like to keep their devices super simple may go for one of our pendant alarms, while those who are more tech-savvy might like one of our wrist alarms with some extra functions like a talking clock and medication reminders.

Whichever option you go for, our great reviews and our 4.8 out of 5 star rating on Trustpilot show just how simple and intuitive it is to get started with a SureSafe alarm. If you’d like to learn more, our experts would be happy to chat with you. Just get in touch with us on 0808 189 1671, through live chat, or by requesting a call back.