Silver Surfers: Navigating Gadgets

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When I was asked to teach a computer training course at my nursing home, I thought it would be a piece of cake. A few elderly ladies learning to surf the web and send emails—what could possibly go wrong? I soon realised, however, that the real challenge wasn't just computers, but mobile phones. And to make things even more interesting, I had to rely on Siri to help me answer the tricky questions, as I’m no spring chicken myself.

On the first day, I entered the activities room to find a group of elderly women eagerly waiting. Mrs Jenkins, the ringleader of sorts, waved her smartphone in the air like a magic wand. “I’ve had this thing for a year and still can’t figure out how to make a proper phone call,” she announced.

We started with the basics: turning on the computer. This was met with a mix of curiosity and scepticism. “Why do they put the power button in such an awkward spot?” Mrs Green grumbled. After a brief hunt and some trial and error, everyone managed to switch on their machines, which wheezed to life like old warhorses. Then came the mobile phones. “Can someone explain why my phone keeps making that whooshing sound?” Mrs Thompson asked, looking genuinely puzzled. I stifled a laugh, knowing full well it was the email notification. But explaining that felt like trying to describe quantum physics to a cat.

Fortunately, I had Siri on my side. “Siri, why is Mrs Thompson’s phone whooshing?” I asked aloud. The calm, robotic voice provided the answer, which seemed to impress everyone. “Well, if the robot says so,” Mrs Thompson conceded.

Mrs Brown had another issue: “How do I take a selfie? My grandson wants one for his Facebook.” A few demonstrations later, Mrs Brown’s selfies looked more like abstract art, but she was delighted all the same. “Look at that! I’m a modern woman now!” she declared, much to the amusement of the group.

By the end of the week, the ladies were not exactly tech-savvy, but they were braver, bolder, and slightly less mystified by their gadgets. And I had learned that with a little help from technology, even the trickiest questions could be tackled with a touch of humour and a lot of patience.