to think my parents are the most technically-useless out there?

[SileneOliveira]

My parents are mid-70s. Both had professional careers where they didn't have to use computers before they retired 15 or so years ago. (Primary teaching and dentistry). They are totally and utterly incompetent with anything technological.

I had a phone call at 11.59pm last night from Dad's mobile. (An old Motorola brick). Nobody spoke when I answered. So the obvious conclusion is that something is terribly wrong. Called back on the landline, a very grumpy Mum answered. She had no idea what was going on and why had I got her out of her bed? Fuck me, if you can't even "drive" a basic Motorola flip phone you've got problems and why are you tawtting about with it at midnight anyway?

They also think I'm being incredibly unreasonable in asking them to take their mobile when I collect them from the airport. As the airport has no free drop-off zone I've asked them to call me when they're physically walking out of hte airport so I can scoot into the 10 minutes for £2 zone and get them. This is apparently unreasonable as I can phone the airport and find out when the plane landed and make a guess as to how long it will take them to clear passport control and get their luggage. (If it wasn't a late night flight I'd be telling them to get the bus).

I have never sent or received a text from my parents. The would think Siri was a new Lebanese restaurant.

When I read about people's parents facetiming them, or a family WhatsApp group my face is like this . It's so very alien to me.

Anyome else got parents like this???

prismguile I work with a computer but don't know how to do any of the things you mentioned.

My DD was mightily amused when I first got an iPad and couldn’t immediately see how to close an app. I’d simply not realised what the home button was for, hadn’t occurred to me you’d use a physical button for that sort of thing ... because in decades of Linux and windows development work that simply wasn’t a UI paradigm I’d encountered. I still think it’s a bit weird.

But when she was doing some software work during her internship and had some Linux or programming related questions, turns out a late 50s
mum may be quite computer savvy after all...

I had lunch today with an elderly relative who is 90 and has never used the internet. She is very bright and alert and so I asked her why she does not and has never used the internet. The main reason seemed to be that she listens to the radio a lot, and hears a lot about how you can see child abuse, dog fighting, videos of men being beheaded, and lots of other awful videos on the internet. She does not want to see any of this, and thinks if she gets online she can not avoid seeing it. It did make me think how the various warning programmes and discussions about the negative side of the internet, will act as a major deterrent for some older people.

My intelligent mother who has just turned 80 has never even touched a computer or tablet. She won't have a mobile phone and won't even use a digital camera. She also refuses to deal in anything other than cash so no cheque book, debit and credit cards or even direct debits. I can't even give her a cheque to pay into her account! Also, she won't have a steam iron as water and electricity don't mix. Not the case with a kettle though!!

My mum bought a tablet about 5 years ago purely to be able to send and receive emails to me and my brother and a handful of other relatives, and to do online supermarket shopping. It has been quite an exercise getting her to the point where she can actually achieve these things, but it has been a bit of a lifeline for her. I'm not sure how she would manage without online food shopping.

Silene - the description of your parents could be applied to me! Although as you can see I go on the Internet, afraid snapchat, smartphones, Bluetooth, skype etc., remains a mystery.

And, tbh, she has no idea how it all works. I went to visit her overnight recently and had to do some work while I was there. I asked for her wifi code - she had no idea where it was or that she even had one.

Forgot to mention I still have a first generation mobile phone, can use an ATM, and Silene am much older than your parents! Perhaps there is some hope for me yet.

I don't use my mobile phone often, and often leave it at home. I am not a technophone but have difficulty with organisation. I have worked out systems so I have keys and other things kept in specific places. But I constantly mislay my phone and forget to charge it.
I know what bluetooth is, but have never used it.

My uncle and aunt in their 70's put me to shame with their technical knowledge. They do virtually anything online. As well as the usual email, downloafing, shopping, etc etc, they stream music to their speakers in different rooms, adjust heating and lights. Holiday snaps are shown on their television and generally embraced all new technology. They get super exited when they have found new apps or programmes.

It's great to hear so many older people are embracing technology. I do agree with the poster upthread that there is a lot of coverage on radio/TV about the negatives of the internet. Mum definitely thinks that one wrong click and she'll be watching child abuse or someone getting beheaded. She will just not believe that you have to actively look for that sort of stuff and in a lot of cases it's not easy to find even if you are seeking it out.

I work freelance online and deal with all of my clients by email or skype. Parents do not have a clue what I do. I have tried to explain about web content and SEO but it's like a foreign language to them. And because they are so clueless, they tell their friends that I'm a housewife and regularly ask me when I'm getting a proper job.

Even small steps like a Kindle would bring so much to their life - mum is a voracious reader who gets through 3 books a week easily. They're off on holiday soon, planning on taking hand luggage only. Mum complaining that she wouldn't be able to take 6 or 7 books. Suggested she look into a Kindle - obvious solution to a problem which she has raised. "Oh no, what would I want one of those for?"

Im struggling with technology as is dh. My parents in their 70s know more than me. Yabu. Technology moved so quick you blink and miss it. I have a dumb phone as does dh. Its amazing! I drive a car with windows that you wind down, chosen on purpose.

OP "And because they are so clueless, they tell their friends that I'm a housewife and regularly ask me when I'm getting a proper job"

that would give me the rage.

We've got my nan on the Internet with a tablet as her local bank branch shut down and online banking was the best solution.

She's also now embraced atm, in store card payments. She used to use cheques a lot but the fact is they are being accepted less and less.

It was also good in bad weather and she could shop online.

How on Earth do they even book a holiday or communicate without email or the internet? Ok, it’s possible but more expensive often, have you used that as an incentive?!

My MIL had a disease very similar to motor neurone disease. When she was in her late eighties and terribly disabled she asked me to teach her to text using a tiny old Nokia. You know, the kind when you had to press a 7 four times to get an S? ( it was just before smart phones were ubiquitous). I really sighed and never thought she’d be able to do it but she did, finally. Her incentive? She knew her grandchildren used text.

I really bloody admired her for that. For a couple of years she could chat, send messages and feel a part of things. Your parents just sound silly about it to be honest and YANBU.

Sorry, I should add that MIL was also almost blind. I hope I’m like her (determined) later on.

I still see travel agents on the high street and even know a few people who use them. And you can phone and write. Yes using travel agents is more expensive, but it is still possible to do all of those things.

I still see travel agents on the high street

Would you like to place a bet on how long they will last? If you are currently fifty, reluctant to book travel online, but envisage wanting to travel when you retire, what do you think your chances are?

The people I know who use travel agents are perfectly capable of booking online, but are happy to pay someone else to sort their holiday for them. I suspect when high street travel agents go, they will use an online travel agent.
But the truth is it takes a lot longer for old services and products to die out than you seem to think. I suspect for quite a long time cities will have one or two travel agents on the high street.

The people I know who use travel agents are perfectly capable of booking online,

Sure, and there will also be a market for bespoke on-line agencies, to whom you email a rough spec and they do the legwork. But that's a very different market to what most people think of as "high street travel agency". Places with paper package holiday brochures, which you can pay for in cash, do not have a long and healthy future in front of them.

But the truth is it takes a lot longer for old services and products to die out than you seem to think

To die out in the sense of "not a single shop left in the country", yes. To die out in the sense of "is a major exercise for anyone who doesn't live in a dense urban area", rather shorter.

You are probably right.
Although I went on a cruise two years ago, booked online, and still receive paper brochures through the post. So I suspect companies that cater to an older market will just continue to use post rather than high street travel agents.
In the same way direct mail is one of the most effective ways for some charities to fundraise. It raises more money for charities such as animal ones, than online campaigns do.
None of this concerns me though. Holidays are a nice to have, not a necessity. So yes if a 50 year old refuses to use the internet they may find themselves unable to book a holiday by the time they are 85. But I really don't think today's 85 year olds need to worry about whether they will be able to book a holiday or not offline. They will be dead before it is a major issue for them.

My parents are fine but my husband's are dreadful, my FIL bought a smart phone to use on holiday but keeps using a £5 Alcatel job for other times.

@Bluesheep8 they're very basic, I think people need to go on computer courses because it makes senior workers who are excellent at most of their job look incapable and it's very annoying to constantly be asked to do a basic computer task for someone who could do it themselves if they bothered to ask to be shown.

@zwellers how was it patronising? I never said the whole office was run by young people - I absolutely respect the excellent work of my seniors except when they're shit at basic tech and constantly interrupt me for help.

I even acknowledged that I will need help when older. Don't take the fact that I said I am young as a personal attack...