Make requests, register for the PCR test, transfer money or have the package delivered to a desired station. All this works on the internet with just a few clicks. More and more things that used to have to be done in person on site can now be done from home with a smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC. For the so-called “digital natives” this is of course only an advantage. Not so for many seniors in the country.
Messages that can only be done sparingly – in the worst case no longer – through personal interaction sometimes become a glove for them. This is often a reason why elderly Tyroleans turn to a so-called “Computeria”, of which there are about 50 in the state and cared for by 300 volunteers.
These are “learning and meeting places where older people are encouraged to actively interact with computers and new technologies,” according to the description on the company’s own website.
The topics depend on the participants
“In 2021, 1235 participants took part in 36 digital get-togethers, plus about 100 participants in special get-togethers and countless coaching sessions and individual guidance,” says Richard Mayr of Computeria Axams. The main topics depend on the participants.
“The new people usually come through word of mouth or because there is a specific problem,” Mayr explains. “Many have noticed that features such as the green passport or the mobile phone signature would be useful, but are afraid to use them.” There are also problems such as “the screen is constantly dark” or “the memory is suddenly full”. “We deal with these topics at the regular table,” Mayr says.
“I don’t need it” as a hurdle to purchase
And what deters seniors from the new technologies? “The biggest hurdle before making a purchase is saying, ‘I don’t need it.’ Our counter-strategy is: research interests, habits and the like and show them smartphone solutions,” explains the head of Computeria. Mayr’s latest appeal to politicians is that “a network of low-threshold contacts is needed”.
“Digitalization is overloading the elderly”
Meanwhile, Hannes Gassler, head of the Computeria in Rum, calls for “senior-friendly devices with fewer features, but these should be as clear and uniform as possible for all areas of life”. He criticizes the fact that older seniors who have retired before digitization have been “overloaded with it in all areas of life and are now dealing with it”.
The fact that many devices are equipped with more functions than are actually necessary causes the elderly to become “overwhelmed”. Finally, Gassler regrets that “more and more official channels can only be digital”.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
