Like many older women, Cassandra Gallagher had to take care of the couple’s finances when her husband fell ill and then passed away. An additional challenge for her was that she is legally blind.
“I knew I had to deal with things I hadn’t dealt with before, and I’m visually blind, which makes this all the more fun,” says Ms. Gallagher.
For the past five years, the 77-year-old has relied on Joseph Lyons, who owns Twice the Geek, Half the Price in Naples. He helps her with everything from finding technology that lets her see magnified text on her computer to fixing the printer when she’s offline. He even ordered and setup a new Xfinity box so she could watch shows like the popular Yellowstone series, and make sure she knows how to use the remote’s voice-activated feature.
“If there is a problem that I don’t know how to solve, I just call Joe. When your primary process is that you don’t know how to do and you can’t do it, someone should help you believe that you can overcome difficulties.”
Jason Cook, a technology coach at GroovyTek, teaches two tech classes per week at John Knox Village in Pompano Beach. Florida Weekly Pictures
With the spread of technology today, seniors over the age of 65 often find it difficult to use devices they weren’t grown up with. They often don’t know where to turn for help.
“We realized that non-digital natives do not have the resources to understand technology,” says Alex Rodas, CEO and president of GroovyTek, a personal technology training service with offices in Florida, Arizona, and Colorado. They were intimidated because they had no one to ask. If they ask their children or grandchildren, they roll their eyes. Or their kids fix their phones and put them back without explaining anything, so the person is still stuck.”
Mr. Rodas says his company’s clients are smart people who are afraid to appear ignorant.
“They have accomplished so much during their lives and have seen the evolution of technology, from black and white television to color to live broadcasting, or from 8 tracks to tape to CD to live broadcasting. The overwhelming common denominator is that they don’t want to feel stupid but they won’t use the technology if they don’t ask. about how to use it.
Classrooms across the city provide assistance to seniors who need to understand technology.
And while they feel comfortable with foldable phones, all the apps and functions on smartphones today can be intimidating to seniors.
“If you ask 10 times, we will explain 10 times,” says Mr. Rodas. “We entrench the work with patience and respect.”
GroovyTek offers advice online, over the phone and in person. Founded in 2015, the company has seen a booming business during the pandemic when people were isolated and technology was the only way to stay in touch with family and friends.
The pandemic prompted a nonprofit in Lee County to help seniors with this problem.
Maria Espinosa, executive director of FISH (Food Programs, Social Services, Helping Hands) on Sanibel Island, says her organization has noted that seniors on fixed incomes either cannot afford the technology or are unable to operate the technology they have. ItsAngelFish Society donors contributed $20,000 to a high-tech project that purchased tablets, computers, phones, and training for 19 seniors.
Jason Cook helps Karen Saw during a class at John Knox Village in Pompano Beach.
“We’ve partnered with a few tech companies that have gone into people’s homes to make sure their computers and tablets are connected to WiFi,” Ms Espinosa says. “Most people were really starting at square one.” FISH has also provided handbooks to help seniors understand technology.
This help has proven useful not only in registering for COVID vaccines, which many older adults have had to do online, but in improving their future prospects.
“Most of the elderly were in their late 80s and early 90s, staying home due to commuting, illness or self-isolation during the pandemic and their mental health took a heavy toll,” Espinosa says. “The tablets were great because they could use Facetime, Skype, and use Wi-Fi without having to pay for a new contract.”
The pandemic was also a job well done by Mr. Lyons in Twice the Geek, Half the Price.
Joseph Lyons of Twice the Geek Half the Price makes a house call. Florida Weekly
“I may have added more clients over 80 in the last year than I have clients under 80,” he says.
They want smart speakers from Amazon or Google that make it easier for them to do things like search a question, turn on the bathroom light in the middle of the night, and play music.
For safety and health, they love the Apple Watch, so they can call 911 if they fall, as well as Ring’s smart thermostats and doorbells.
Home entertainment technology was popular.
“I’ve never set up so many TVs in my life,” he says. “No one goes to the cinema.” He recommends wireless headphones so one person can watch TV while other people in the house aren’t disturbed by the loud noises that seniors often need.
It also helps people learn to use their smartphones.
“Ten years ago a lot of people aged 75 or over didn’t use an iPhone, and now every senior citizen has one. Understanding that and trying to post them on Facebook is the biggest part of my job.”
Paul Ezo, left, gets some contact management help from Joseph Lyons of Twice the Geek, Half the Price. Laura Tisci/Florida Weekly
Paul Izzo asked Lyons for help when he lost all the contacts on his phone and when he had major problems connecting to the Internet.
He laughs: “I tell him all the time when I call, ‘Don’t get mad at me.'” But when I get stuck, Joseph comes and fixes it.
Overall, Mr. Lyons was impressed with how quickly older adults could understand their devices once someone took the time to help them.
“If you teach someone slowly, people have the ability to learn technology more than they think.”
GroovyTek agrees that education is key. Part of her business model is to visit senior living facilities and provide weekly lessons and weekly technical assistance on site.
Jason Cook, one of the company’s technology instructors, visits John Knox Village in Pompano Beach several times a week to teach residents to use their smartphones and tablets.
“Technology is basically a foreign language to them,” says Mr. Cook. “Most people are happy just by making a phone call. But I show them Amazon Music, YouTube, and all the things a phone can do for them.” He has shown apps like Star Walk that indicate which horoscopes are viewed by the phone and how his robot vacuum works.
Mr. Cook says it’s important for older adults to have hands-on learning in an environment where they feel comfortable.
Karen will take Mr. Cook’s lessons and hire him for one-on-one education.
“It feels safe to know we have someone here on campus who can help us with all the modern technologies that not many of us know about,” the 83-year-old said. “I learned a lot.”
The lady will say she did everything
She does Christmas shopping on her phone and uses it to make mobile deposits at the bank and doctor’s appointments. She recently renewed her driver’s license on the device.
“Before GroovyTek, I would cry sometimes,” she says of her frustration with the technology. “They really do us an incredible service.” ¦
Top 5 reasons to contact someone with GroovyTek
»Manage and remember passwords.
» Store and send photos.
» Understand online security and privacy, especially when shopping online.
» Repair of wireless printers.
» Help with software upgrades.
In the I know
Libraries offer free help with a variety of techniques
Libraries are more than just places to look at books. From online tech tutorials to tech support from librarians, they’re a good resource for seniors who want to better understand their phones, tablets, and other technologies.
“We see a lot of older adults who have been given a gifted device on holidays and don’t know how to use it,” says Hannah Brown, librarian at the Port Charlotte Public Library. “All of our library staff feel comfortable with hardware, especially Microsoft products, printing, and how they use basic applications.”
The library system has online videos on title topics such as how to customize your desktop, scan with your iPad, and explore the App Store.
Many branches offer a Technology Essentials program that often addresses a specific topic or allows people to bring their devices and ask their own questions.
Ms Brown says she hopes to bring back the weekly “Advice for Your Device” program that offers weekly one-to-one support by appointment.
Some branches of the Lee County Library System offer programs such as basic 15-minute computer help sessions, tutoring downloads to download books and other materials to devices, and YouTube sessions to help teens start a channel.
Collier County Libraries have software for learning the basics of iPad and Zoom, software such as Excel, and other subjects.
Palm Beach County residents can access LearningExpress, a self-paced online course to learn software, sign up for one-on-one technical assistance, and participate in person in programs like iMovie Basics, Image and Document Scanning, and Google Slice.
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