that this whole crisis shows that EVERYONE ought to learn how to use technology?

[WhatTheHellHappenedArgh]

Just that really. I have divorced grandparents, both in their 80s. My gran uses whatsapp, shops online, has a laptop, has broadband internet. Obviously it's shitty for her not being able to go out right now but she was able to get all her shopping delivered no bother, can chat to us on skype/facetime, can use social media etc. So it has massively helped with her loneliness.

My grandfather, OTOH, who has a long term respiratory problem, has point blank refused to ever have the internet, learn how to use a mobile phone etc. With the result that he's now feeling extremely lonely and cut off from the rest of the world and we don't live anywhere near him so are unable to offer any practical help. Have to rely on volunteers which he hates and because he had no online shopping accounts we were unable to get him any slots at all.

I see it frequently on here that "old" people don't know how to use the internet, can't online shop etc, and my question is why? Isn't it incredibly patronising to assume they're incapable of doing and learning any of the above? And wouldn't have been so much better for them, in the middle of this current shower of shit, if they could?

I tried to get my parents and PILs set up for online supermarket deliveries a few years ago when we had really bad weather, then again a month ago. Just in case. But “Oh, no no no, can’t see the point, wouldn’t use it anyway.”

Now you can’t get an online delivery account and they’re all sending me their shopping lists to arrange for them.

I wouldn’t mind helping with something they couldn’t do but I wish I didn’t have to be in charge of online food shopping for three extra households when they easily could have done it before but just couldn’t be bothered.

@Lllot5 you are not alone.

@Ginfordinner I will be 30 this year and I do not use social media. I have never used Instagram, Snapchat tik tok Et Al because I am not interested. I did have Facebook but I got rid of it due my disapproval of the way Facebook has conducted itself. It has had a leading role in manipulating elections, aiding sabotage, data mining, violating privacy, promoting racial violence, promoting violence against women and girls, spreading outright lies and disinformation not to mention the appalling way it treats its employees. I am someone who votes with their money, I do not use goods and services from any company I feel is unethical. I realise that they themselves don't care but I do. I prefer to promote businesses (and Facebook is a business) that don't abuse its employees or consumers.

I have a teenage daughter who was at university until last week. As phone signals don't work in her halls and she doesn't have WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger was the best option to keep in touch.

You don't have to have a Facebook account to have Messenger. Even anti Facebook DH realised that Messenger was the only way to keep in touch with DD. Especially when he realised she wasn't reading any text messages.

I was late to Facebook as I didn't see the point of it. Narcissistic people use it for all the wrong reasons. People like me use it for all the right reasons.

Totally agree!!!
My DP’s mum is 86 and uses Skype, Facebook, iPad, online games such as Words With Friends.
DP was able to guide her through installing Netflix on her TV the other day, over Skype.

By comparison, my dad who is 73, and lives alone, is totally cut off from everyone.
He can’t text, and doesn’t have broadband or a smart phone. He’s lonely, and my brother and I are trying to work out a plan to try to sort out some tech for him remotely.
It’s going to be a nightmare, as dad will get really confused, but we have to try.

DB has ordered a router to be delivered by tomorrow, and somehow is going to get him set up on FaceBook messenger so he can video chat. Dad does have a laptop, but says it rarely works, so that’s another hurdle to try overcome, trying to figure out what’s wrong with that remotely.

If anyone tech savvy has any ideas on how we can get him set up, I’d really appreciate it.

tigerbear I don't know about Facetime or how it works. But could you have a cheap tablet with the Skype app already on it sent to him? You could ser up an adress for him, call it and just him to press the green button to reply. Or you could have it sent to you and then you could drop it off outside his house when it's all aer up.

@Suniscomingout that’s a good idea, thank you. I’ll think we’ll try with the Facebook messenger first, as he already has a Facebook account, then give that a go if messenger doesn’t work.

Our local council are using Facebook to advise about bin collections. It was easy to spot those who don't use it this week when they put their green bins out. The rest of us knew they aren't being collected right now and didn't bother putting them out.

It’s nothing short of a miracle!!!
My brother had a router delivered to my dads house today, then tried to talk him through installing WhatsApp.
An hour later, my neither hung up on him as they were both getting irate and frustrated with it. My brother pleaded with me to call him instead.
My very patient DP then called dad, talked him through it on speaker phone, then somehow got him set up on Messenger and into a video call!!
It took over 2 hours in total, but was so worth it to see his face!
Dad was over the moon, and in awe of the whole thing. He still can’t fathom out how to MAKE calls, but can pick up incoming calls from us.

That’s great ‘tigerbear’