to think people over 70 should not be let near mobiles or computers

[SlightlyJaded]

I know I am BU but honestly....

Normal procedure for contacting my Mother on her Mobile

1. I dial. Phone is switched off (usually because it's on charge which it seems to be doing almost permanently because mobiles are 'for emergencies aren't they')
2. I dial again. It rings
3. it rings some more and goes to voicemail
4. I leave message that will never be picked up because 'it's so fiddly'
5. I ring again. Mother may or may not hear it
6. I ring again. Mother scrabbles about in her handbag because the lady at the M&S checkout has told her the phone is ringing
7. Mother picks up and then immediately disconnects me 'Well I did push the right button but this phone has a mind of it's own'
8. I ring again. It's engaged
9. I ring again. Mother picks up "hello?"

10. I say "Mum it's me" 11. She says "Oh I can't talk to you now, I'm out shopping and you know I hate talking on these things" 12. I jump off nearest bridge

Normal procedure for my mother using her computer

1. Eating supper. Home phone rings. Caller display shows mum and dads home phone number
2. I pick up "Hello?"
3. Mother (sounding irritated)responds "I've got one of those blue boxes that says "error with 3509568.exe file"
4. "Hello? Who is this please?"

5 Mother "Oh don't be so facetious. This bloody computer is not working again"

1. "oh would that be the one DH and I bought you for Christmas?"
2. Mother. "Well if it's all about who spent what...."
3. Me (realising the futility of my irritation and not pointing out that this is her 3rd computer and she's been 'using' them for a good 10 years now) "what are you trying to do?"
4. Mother "I'm writing"

10. Me "ok... what programme are you in" 11. Mother "oh there's no point asking me those sorts of questions" 12. Me "what are you trying to write?" 13. Mother "to Sandra" 14. Me "an email?" 15. Mother "no on the internet" 16. What do you mean "on the internet" 17. Mother "the blue e" 18. Me. "Hang on a sec, DD has dropped a knife" 19. Mother (aside to my dad). "DD has dropped a knife" 20. Dad in distance "who are you on the phone to?" 21. Mother "well who do you think I'm on the phone to? I just told you DD dropped a knife didn't I?" 22. Me "hello?" 23. Dad in distance "well that didn't necessarily mean you were on the phone to SlightlyJaded did it" 24. Me "hello? hello?" 25. Mother (aside to Dad). OOh look at that cat on the telly. How have they got it to do that. 26. Me (under my breath lowering the receiver) "it's done in post fucking production isn't it. Cats can't really play the trumpet you know".

Five hours later, three emails arrives from mother. They are all empty.

we're trying to get MIL to get a computer. She is highly intelligent and technologically competent and you only have to show her how our microwave works once for her to get it (it takes most people about 4 goes).
She pretends she wants to but she doesn't really - she has gone on a course, gone to PC World with us, bought magazines etc etc, and she keeps coming up with new excuses

still, her loss, if she doesn't ever get to skype her grandchildren.

Oh Lord.

My mum has been like this since we got her a mobile. On her 50th birthday. She's only 58 now but:

• She leaves it on for days on end and wonders why the battery has died.

• She has no idea how to send a text, or read on once she's got it.

• She thinks you have to shout very loudly into a mobile.

• She tries to move the phone so that when she's speaking it's in front of her mouth and when she's listening it's by her ear. Consequently all conversation is punctuated by five-second pauses and much repetition.

• If she leaves a message, she always introduces herself and gives time and date, even though we've told her the phone does this all on its own.

It is incredibly frustrating!

She worked for IBM when she was younger and writes her own websites ... I have no idea why she can't manage a bloody phone!

my mother used to be very scared to use Word until I showed her the 'undo' and 'redo' buttons. It changed her life
Before that she was scared to press buttons in case it did something she couldn't undo.

My mother is very computer literate. Mil on the other hand gives fils a terrified sideways look and refuses to go near it.

She also doesn't like using her mobile. She once called dh when we were away from the weekend, only to tell him she'd call back in a while when we were closer to home as 'it costs to much to call you when you're that far away. It'll be cheaper when you're nearer home'

My 80 year old aunt loves her mobile. The only problem is she keeps texting my landline.

My mum was like this. dh's mum isn't much better.
My dad, on the other hand, has been using a computer for years. We used to type programs in to the BBC Micro when it first came out!
He's into Photoshop at the moment. He's pretty good with the mobile as well.

My dad (68) only got good at texting when my mum was in hospital for a while, and i was working full time, so it was easiest way to contact me. He still isn't keen but will do it.

After mum died he decided he wanted to get a PC with internet access, having not used computers since he had retired about 12 years earlier (and not with internet). He had seen me and DH with our laptops and liked seeing everything. Fortunately DH is techie (and has taught me a few things) and could set it up. Dad was lucky to be given the tower unit, monitor, keyboards etc and I gave him our old printer :)

He loves being able to email/google stuff now he has been shown, but we did have to do written instructions for getting photos from the digital camera to the pc, and will still get the odd phone call saying 'help!'. all in all not too bad tho!

MIL and FIL love the internet, but tend to use it only via me, DH or DSil to buy pressies. They both have mobiles but are not totally sure on the use of them (MIL especially!)

DM isn't too bad with computers but mobiles are more of a trial as she's hard of hearing & can't feel the phone vibrating from inside her bag. (That's if she's bothered to turn the damn thing on.)

DF is awful. If he takes his mobile with him at all it's a rare event & even then he's probably got it switched off.

I've made them promise that if they have DiddyDragon & have taken her out anywhere then they need to have their phones turned on. (Shudders at memory of them being over an hour late due to being stuck in traffic I didn't know about & being completely unable to get hold of them.) Now I just have to turn the ringers up on their phones...

They're in their early sixties.

My DM is 75 and she sends texts, picture msgs, emails, and skypes. [Grin] And she has requested me as a friend on facebook

My DM is 75 and she sends texts, picture msgs, emails, and skypes. [Grin] And she has requested me as a friend on facebook

YABVVVU ..... 70 is much too high an age limit, 45 is more appropriate as nobody in old age should be let near a microchip

My Dad is in his fifties, he hates computers, cannot use them and thinks they are the root of all evil. He has me do things online for him, like printing off directions or getting weather reports. He is of the opinion that the Internet has only served to put paedophiles in contact with one another.

I also have to text for him.

I do think it must be pretty scary for older generations to get to grips with this new fangled stuff. Lots of us take the confidence to use computers for granted. I remember a work colleague telling me how when she stopped working to have a family, PCs weren't the norm and when she returned to work, you were just expected to know how to use them - I think that her time out of the labour market had seen a massive shift. I find it fascinating how relatively disposable they have become too.

Some of these stories are HILARIOUS though!

BIL persuaded my MIL who is now 85 if she wasn't going to have a care alarm at home she must have her mobile hung from a cord round her neck for emergencies. I was driving in my car with her shortly after this when her phone started to ring, I was rather puzzled when I saw her pressing my air freshener frantically She said in a panicked voice "I'm trying to answer it for you dear, but nothing's happening" I said "You might want to try answering your phone"

She also has a computer, she told us proudly on one occasion that she had sent a reply to one of those "increase the size of your manhood" emails, "I told them I was a woman and that wasn't of any interest to me at my time of life, I don't think I will be hearing from them again"

There are many more YANBU!

massivemammaries, I don't like you very much at all. I am in my 50s and I love my computer.

I'm willing to bet my boobs are at least as big as yours too.

oh God .... now I will be barraged with a whole string of OAPs with huge tits and computer fetishes

Any fule know that a public library is a magnet for bored old ppl. Now my local one seems to be a magnet for old ppl. whose family and friends are constantly worrying about them. You can't sit and read the paper for 5 mins without one of them getting a call - and shouting Dom Jolly style that they are in the LIBRARY (well I assume that's what they are saying as usually they are chatting in Urdu /Hindi /Punjabi) - but they do use the word library...

If I had the social life they had / caring family they have when I got to their age, I wouldn't complain - they certainly have no shortage of phone calls. Shame texting or stepping outside to take a call isn't an option

My Mum is 78 but has learnt how to text in the last couple of years and does OK at it. Though she does tend to use only capitals and has a tendency sometimes to send the texts to our land line rather than my mobile. But apart from that I am quite impressed.

My PILs are a similar age but very technophobic. We got them a mobile for "emergencies" after MIL had had a couple of falls, but they rarely use it. It stays switched off unless they want to make a call themselves. When they needed a top up DH tried to talk them through it but they simply wouldn't try so we always do it for them.

Humf MassiveM

I Will see yours and offer my 40G's AND I AM OVER 50!

And I did my own website!

LunaticFringe I am a wee bit younger than your dad, I also teach people to use computers and I keep turning down work. Thing is I am usually older than the people in my groups.

If you go to Bletchley Park you will see some code for the first microprocessor. And some of that was written in the 60s by my mother (now aged 78).

However, she still does have a bit of Tippex on her mobile phone on which she has written my Dad's phone number. She can't manage the address book. We also have to pre-book with her to leave the phone switched on.

The lesson is: early technical aptitude will not automatically roll over to later life.

@shoshe .....what sort of website? lol ..... showin of yer 40G's were yah?

40G is a bit on the small side TBH [plumps up 36HH's]

44JJ

Just wait till you hit 50, girl, you won't be impressed at being referred to as an OAP.

I don't want to hit 50 .... couldn't bear to see my nipples hanging down to my knees

@ Shoshe and so many others. This has made me laugh and, strangely, feel less 'frustrated in advance' towards the inevitable ongoing 'tech-chats' I will have to have with DM.

Oh and I must add that my dad has never used a computer in his life. Ever. He eyes them with great suspicion but is almost falling over with awe at the most simple thing e.g. "

Me "Look Dad, here's a picture of the hotel we stayed at"
Dad "what the actual hotel?"
Me "er yes"
Dad "what you can just get a picture of the actual hotel on the computer? Just like that?"
Me "er yes"
Dad (shaking head in amazement) "amazing... just amazing"

My MIL, who is 70, can strip a computer down to its bare bones and put it back together again so it works. Problems with your hard drive? She'll fix them. She designs websites too, AND has an iPod touch. Amazing woman.