To be annoyed that older people can’t just send a text rather than phoning for the slightest thing?

[Waitingforthesunnydays]

I’ll try not to be ageist here but I might fail at that..so I’m sorry if this offends anyone. If you are over 60 do you feel the need to phone people for things like confirming what time you’ll be arriving that day (after already arranging that you’re coming), letting someone know what colours of paint you’ll be getting for a house renovation, asking someone if they want to go to the cinema with you next week? Those were just examples that popped into my head, but I’m finding it increasingly irritating that the 60 something man that is renovating my house will call me for the slightest thing. It seems he doesn’t know how to text at all as he responds to mine by ringing. Same with my parents, but they get a free pass cos they’re my parents. Same with a neighbour in her 60s who I’m quite friendly with. She rang me the other day, a call which I had to take at work, to say she’d taken my bin in for me, which was very nice of her obviously. But a simply text would have done fine. I’m not talking about very elderly people who don’t know how to use technology, I’m talking about people in their 60s/70s who have had iPhones for at least a decade. Is it just habit or is talking on the phone more common amongst older people? I’m early 40s & I personally hate talking on the phone and will text for everything. I find a phone call quite intrusive, I have to be in the mood to talk to someone, whereas if they would just text me they might get an answer to their question! I can send a text back in any mood but I will often ignore a phone call if I’m not in the mood.
Yes I’m sure I’m being at least a bit unreasonable but it would be nice if everyone could just learn how to text/know how to use text messaging properly. It’s really very easy

when trying to contact my dc dh always says who dont you call
i text, there is no response.
sometimes you just Have to call, to know they have actually received the message.
this is Your issue op

Well I'm over 60 and loathe talking on the phone. I've trained my 85 year-old mum to use WhatsApp.

If I think an exchange is going to generate more than just a yes/no answer, or is going to involve a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, then I will call. I do messages by text but not long conversations.

He's good enough, and not too old to renovate your house though OP.
Maybe he just needed an immediate answer to be able to continue with his work.

There is some ageism in this post but I agree about unnecessary phone calls.

I don’t have time to answer the phone at work as I am calls most of the day and I would find it really irritating if someone was expecting me to pick up a phone call to tell me they had moved a bin.

It’s not only about “preferred method of contact”. If you have a labour intensive job or are looking after small children a phone call creates an unnecessary and stressful addition thing to deal with.

If you are juggling full time work with childcare the last thing you need is extra “tasks”. If you’re going to sideline work for someone or something it needs to be worth the disruption.

I have a friend who likes to use the house phone -which I’m never near….

Very early 40's here to the point I'm basically in my 30's and I way prefer calling. I can't understand people who answer the phone and then bitch about being too busy to have taken the call, just don't answer if you're at work or it's inconvenient.

Lol are you unaware how modern phones work? If its not convenient to answer them don't. The answer machine can pick up any messages and you can listen to them at your leisure. You can even turn the ringtone off.

I'm in my 60's and text/whatsapp as I feel it's less intrusive than a phone call and the recipient can answer when they have time! If it's urgent then I'll call

I’m in my 70s and I text and Wattsapp all the time as people can respond when convenient and I’m not disturbing them. Friends the same age and older text me too. I find it irritating though when people want to have a long conversation via text and refuse to use the phone. I think we need to accept that people have their own preferences and try to compromise.

All these posters who text their parents rather than speaking on the phone, do you live near them so chat to them in real life on a regular basis?

Is it feeding into the loneliness thing that seems common nowadays. Funny how everyone used the phone -now no one wants to

You tried not to be ageist but failed. This isn’t an older people thing. It’s just a certain people thing. You prefer texting. Others prefer phoning. That’s it.

Yeah except that people who phone invariably follow up with: “Did you listen to my VM/voice note?”

No. I’m on Teams six hours a day and when I’m not on Teams I need to claw back some of the time wasted while on Teams to do some actual work.

Just send me a message which doesn’t drain even more of my time. Its so much easier for everyone.

Also this, not that "dottery" .

People don't all think the same as you

Why do you answer the phone if its inconvenient? You could just ignore it or you could cancel the call and text the person back "sorry at work, can you text instead please"

I’m over 60 and I text or WhatsApp 🙄

My adult kids and adult grandchildren, on the other hand, phone me.

So, yes you are being ageist.

You are being extremely ageist. You want this man to text instead of calling and it would obviously be more convenient. I don't know why he doesn't like texting but it is not because he is over 60.
Please don't generalise from every over-sixty person who irritates you to everyone else in that group. How would you like someone suggesting that all women over menopausal age are kleptomaniacs, for example, because a few in that group start shoplifting?

It could be that he doesn't know how to write or spell.

What exactly is your annoyance...?

I'm nearly 60 and both have their place.

For a discussion a call is far better than texts pinging back and forwards in real time.

For just confirming or informing a text is fine and preferable.

I'm personally shocked at how many people on MN are apparently stressed / cross / unable / whatever to manage ... actually speaking!!! to someone.

Ditto being on screen in teams meetings when the previous method was being somewhere in person.

I'm over 60 and I'll do anything to avoid talking on the phone, messaging has been a godsend for me.

Maybe the problem is less the elderly who like to phone and more the young who dont know how to turn their phones to silent? If you're working then you dont need to be chatting via text either.

This was my Mum 🥲 I lost her last year, she was only 57. I’d give anything to have one more pointless phone call from her with 100 “oh by the way…” before hanging up.
She’d ring me to ask if I’ve seen her text she’s just sent 😂

Over 70 here and same! 😆

Im 44 and I always call. Why? I am a human being and not a computer. Its more efficent to get an answer. I actually like the people I call and they also prefer a call. Textings fine for one word answers but if you have questions Id rather call. I hate constant back and forth texts. People are really turning into robots, faces always in their phone.