Ain't modern technology grand ?

[Binkie]

Apologies, dear friends, for my non-appearance on the forum of late. (go on....admit it...you never even noticed, did you?). My excuse is a good one - my parents, bless their 80 year-old- cotton-socks, have been dragged screaming and struggling into the 21st century. Yes, folks, they have a computer, and they are online even as we speak.It has been quite a revelation, I think. According to my usually gently spoken mother, Dad can't be "dragged away from the bloody thing!"
They have held out against a computer for a long while, mainly because they live in a fairly isolated village, and were worried that if anything went wrong, they'd be stuffed! However, my brother, who's a computer expert, managed to demonstrate Skype and various other message systems, and how easy it would be to get help from him. Result......newly exultant silver surfers! I've got so used to the internet that I'd forgotten how much we take it for granted. Mum and Dad have entered a whole new world, and I am being inundated with emailed news about their latest explorations and discoveries. Naturally, I'm spending a lot of time replying, and pointing them towards all kinds of web pages they might not have heard about. I really don't care what anyone says about the dehumanising effects of modern technology ; Mum and Dad are having a ball!
P.S. I think they finally capitulated after Mum was hospitalised for quite a while, and returned home relatively healthy, but a lot more frail.
No more healthy bush walks and a lot more home-based activities!

[biggerbirdbrain]

Parents can be SOOOOOOOOOO demanding! 

[Linda]

Binx I taught many a senior citizen how to use a computer, and in particuar, surf the internet and send emails.  Drove me mad!!  No, really, I think it's wonderful that they have found a new hobby ... will they be joining Chi?! 

[birdy]

My aunt happily dove into Internet emailing in her '80s.

Just lucky it wasn't water - she would have drowned.  She was awful at it, constantly losing her way and doing things to her email that would probably have been illegal had she done them to a person, or animal or even a cabbage.  Someone from an organization she volunteered for used to come by regularly to straighten out her problems, as did her techy nephew, who had set up what he thought would be a foolproof method of getting her into and through her email - with written instructions, no less.  Not my aunt, though - she could get lost going from "enter" to "close".  Well, come to think of it, she could do the same when she was driving - never took the same route twice.  She never thought of it as "getting lost," but as "exploring new territory."

Probably it wasn't very productive, but she had a great time.

[technomc]

I have tried with my mum, but to no avail...

She even saves her washing up for several days , then instead of using the dishwasher she does it by hand....

So no mobile, computer or Sky TV for her....