Seniors Series: Seniors and technology

In a progressively more automated world, technology can offer significant life enhancements. And for the senior community, a community growing due to increased longevity and other factors, technology can be a vital tool for empowerment and independent living.

However, the senior community often has different needs than those of the tools’ creators, and it’s important that they be part of the conversation as well for how tools can best serve the elderly.

At the Pleasanton Senior Center, a group of 15-20 gathers once a month to engage in discussions regarding all sorts of technologies, from Fitbits to hand sanitizers to GPS trackers. They discuss ways to incorporate new tools into their daily lives, and even overcome a distrust of tech.

“We sit around in a circle, and we just talk about things, and people bring up topics they’d like to talk about,” said Janet Burton, president of the Friends of the Pleasanton Senior Center, the organization that leads the circles. She defines herself as a “very young senior.” “It’s just interesting.”

The circle group is called Longevity Explorers, and it’s one of many satellites across the country. The group was originally founded by Richard Caro, a Bay Area executive and researcher, both as a resource for seniors and as a means of influencing the conversation about technological solutions.

“This community leverages the insights, and years of accumulated wisdom, of older adults themselves to accelerate the emergence of novel solutions to some of the challenges of aging,” the organization writes on their website. “We are especially interested in technology-enabled products that can push off the time at which functional decline gets in the way of living life to the fullest.”

Caro came to the Pleasanton Senior Center about a year ago to give a presentation on technology use, and the Friends group reached out to him to see if they could form their own branch.

They’ve been meeting up on the third Thursday of every month for nearly half a year now, Burton said. The group is open to all seniors, but the current regular attendees are mostly in their 70s, 80s and 90s.

“The seniors, even very old seniors, are amazingly interested in the computers and staying young,” Burton said.

Each week is anchored by a specific pre-assigned question. “For instance, last month the topic was, ‘Driving: how do we decide if we should still be driving? Should there be an ‘app for that,’ and if so, what would we like it to do?” Burton said.

Participants are also asked to bring up their own problem or suggestion to discuss.

Technology is an all-encompassing term and takes on many forms, from more complex tools like Alexa to jar openers for those with arthritis. A simple weighted spoon can help seniors who suffer from Parkinson’s-derived tremors eat.

Many of the participants share similar problems, concerns and desires, which helps spur conversation, Burton said.

“It’s interesting to hear what other people have difficulty with, what the challenges are,” she said. “One was putting on jewelry. The clasps on necklaces and the backs of earrings are so tiny that as your dexterity declines, it’s harder and harder to put on jewelry.”

A good portion also want to be able to remain in the comfort of their own home, she said, and not have to move to an assisted living facility. Uber has been a great boon in helping seniors operate independently, particularly at night when many would rather not drive.

And communicating with tech-savvy grandchildren is a motivating factor for many.

“Seniors are finding that they really want to have Apple iPhones and text, in order to stay in touch with their grandchildren,” Burton said.

There are definitely some misconceptions about technology, she said, like concerns about Alexa’s spying capabilities. But overall the crew is eager to learn.

All their Longevity Explorer discussions are posted online, as are those of the other satellites nationwide. Anyone can access the database at techenhancedlife.com/circles/pleasanton.

Also at the Pleasanton Senior Center, seniors with a specific technological query can sign up for a one-on-one tutoring session, where tutors can help with everything from smart phone usage to Gmail.