To find people who refuse to embrace technology irritating?

[Sophiehoney]

I don't mean people who genuinely struggle

I am irritated with people who absolutely refuse to even try.
I am sure a lot of the time they do it on purpose. They use the whole "I don't do technology" thing as a personality trait, to be quirky and "not like all you young people" when simply being a bit older is not a reason in itself, as Mumsnet proves!!

People at my work are moaning like hell because the system of filling in patients notes at the end of the shift in a book with a pen has been replaced by handheld devices (basically phones) that are more secure and can be completed on the go. They are so simple but some people are refusing to learn so others are filling their notes in for them.

A lady at the doctor's today point blank refused to even try to sign herself in on the machine. It was literally just a case of pressing a button and then filling in a form with her name and DOB using a keyboard. She declared proudly "I'm not doing this, I don't do technology, I don't even have a mobile phone!" And made he poor stressed receptionist with a line of people waiting come out and do it for her.

My mum will pop round a million times a week with "something she needs me to on her iPad" and it's usually just something trivial like reading an email and sending a one line reply that I know she is capable of. I've stated getting my 13 year old to do and she pays him £1 every time so every cloud 🤷

But these people do irritate me when they expect others to pick up their slack by refusing to try.

AIBU?

DM has always been a proud luddite. There were computers in the house through the 80s and 90s, but she's always flatly refused to engage. She had a mobile phone in the 90s, but flatly refused to do so much as read a text message and I think her 2005 clamshell was her last handset (it was a pretty shade of pink)

She thinks she doesn't need technology in her life, but all it's done is dump work on to her family and friends.

It would be a hell of a lot easier to communicate with her by messaging a mobile phone than hope she's got hearing aids in and is near the landline which is the only communication route. She may have struggled by her late 80s anyway, but she did have capability to pick up some basics in her 60s and 70s and was happy to learn stuff that intetested her.

I'm 71 and feel the same.

Preferring to use "paper" such as calendars etc is just personal preference and not refusing to engage with technology, and of course don't affect anyone else.

I still have paper calendars and even keep a paper diary (which I've kept ever since I was around 10 years old). It doesn't make me a luddite, as I use tech all day every day and of course, it doesn't impact on anyone else.

Doing that doesn't mean I don't use apps - I literally use apps and software all day every day both with my job and personal matters (appointments, banking, shopping etc).

Completely different to those who make things harder for others, such as relatives, friends, receptionists, and all kinds of organisational/business staff, by refusing to use apps/software and claiming they need "help" or special attention because of it.

Fair enough, "some" people can't use them due to very old age, disability etc., but the vast majority could if they really wanted to.

@scalt

I’m sure I will say one day “I told you so”.

You'll love that! I bet you can't wait 😄

As a single person in my mid fifties I’ve had to learn as I’ve had no one else to help me. I intend to keep learning as I age as I don’t want to miss out on things.

My dm irritates me with this. If something has to be done online she gets pissy with and says not everyone is online!! Her excuse is she’s rubbish with technology. But she buys tiny £10 phones and has to go through each letter of the alphabet to make the words for a text.
Using her £10 burner phone is a lot harder to use than a smartphone.

So annoying when it’s a way of life now.

Yuk, screens on self checkouts, covered in traces of faeces and e-coli. Imagine the non hand washers going to the public toilet, then nipping in for a quick shop.

So "they" weren't discriminating against you. The system did not work for you at all and when you raised that issue they solved it. Good, I'm very glad they found a solution 👍🏻

I just clean my hands with a little bottle of anti-bac I carry in my handabg.

It’s one thing about my dh that I find really frustrating. He hates technology. Refuses to have a phone, and goes out of his way to be tech free. He will watch tv, but that’s the end of it.

My GP moved to online system too.

After the system told me that a practitioner would assess my clinical need within two working days, this was on a Friday, I've since refused to use it and my surgery agreed to make other arrangements for me.

My "clinical need" was that I had vomited blood. 111 requested an ambulance but advised it would be better if I could be taken to hospital by car.

Within an hour of that I was in the resuscitation unit being asked if I had thoughts on "do not resuscitate" .

While my surgery assures me they have taken steps to ensure that cannot happen again, I'm not willing to bet my life on it.

I’m old, I’m ok for now, efficiencies that make processes more efficient for the end user, I’m all in. Crappy apps not so much.

I carry screen wipes and surreptitiously use them at the Dr’s and for most public touch screens.

Ok but we’re no longer in the 90s are we? Every single aspect of my life has an app, a password, a security code which is then sent to my email address, before asking me if I want to set up fingerprint or facial recognition, and then when I eventually get into the bloody thing either it stalls or needs updating. Laptops, tablets, smartphones, kindles, self service checkouts… there are several ‘basic’ messaging platforms rather than just texts, people expect to video call constantly, emails pop up in real time on your phone rather than sitting in a laptop inbox and people want answers NOW.

Technology was great up to a point but is now just an absolute faff and part of the daily bombardment our brains go through to do the most basic things. I’m not surprised people are getting sick of it. Everyone saying ‘it’ll only take a second’ like we don’t also have a thousand other things that only take a second.

On the contrary, I think things like facial recognition make things so much quicker and easier once you set them up. I far prefer it to using passwords, etc. and better for security too.

Yeah… no. I needed to get into DH’s phone in a semi emergency the other day and couldn’t. A simple PIN code would’ve been fine.

You wouldn't say that if his internet banking had been hacked by a "simple pin" code and he'd lost money or had his bank account frozen.

I don't have scales so asked my friend if I could use his. He loves tech and has the "latest" set. I had to download an app and link to the scales via Bluetooth just to weigh myself!

Ever since I've been getting notifications on my phone to weigh myself again. I'll get round to turning them off in due course.

And yet fraud etc is more common the more technology we get.

You work in a medical setting? And staff are refusing to use the system for notes?

It sounds like those of you who are doing their work for them need to stop. And your manager needs to manage, and tell them it's not optional.

Agree with you. I actually lose track of the whole process because it’s so laborious/ boring!

My dm can navigate the tech if it involves shopping or treats but is miraculously incapable for any boring jobs like filling in a form.

Theft of cash/purses/wallets used to be more common but has plumetted since the ongoing increased use of technology.

Im fairly tech savvy, DH not at all. I do get pissed off at his refusal to even try. He's happy to scroll on FB and click into dodgy adverts claiming hes won a free gift but anything useful forget it.
My neighbours are all pensioners, next door is forever asking me to order stuff for him from Amazon, again has tech but only uses it to ask AI stuff, which he takes as gospel. and 'research' conspiracy theories
I imagine as I get older I may struggle to keep up with changes but it won't be because I don't want to.

I’m not suggesting we go back to 1970 but I think 2010 was the sweet spot.

Nail on the head there. Your line management needs to be dealing with this and providing extra training/support or managing them out if they can't cope with perfectly reasonable changes.