Technology Tips for Older Adults
Here are a few solutions for enhancing independence and connectivity among older adults…
Welcome back to Sage Space!
Hi Everyone,
As they say, April showers bring May flowers, but it feels like Mother Nature got her months mixed up with the rainy May we've had in NJ. I spent one of my rainy Saturdays trying to help my mom fix her HP printer, which was displaying a frustrating “Requires User Intervention” error message every time we tried to print.
I’ve been in the tech industry for 25+ years, but after hours of online help boards, Google searches, ChatGPT prompts, and rewiring and rebooting, I gave up! We settled for a workaround where we turn the printer on and off EVERY time she wants to print. My "user intervention" almost involved tossing it out the window!
Silicon Valley needs to do more to make all technology easier and more accessible for older adults (we are working hard on that here at Wisdom). In the meantime, here are some everyday home tech tips that you might find helpful.
Stay tuned, I will report back on how my battle with this printer is going. Have a great holiday weekend everyone!
Cathy Minter
Co-founder and CEO – Wisdom.io
cathy@mywisdom.io
Unplug and Restart Your Device!
Restarting your computer, router, cable box, phones, and other devices often fixes many problems because it clears out the system's memory, stops any background processes causing issues, and refreshes the operating system. It's like giving your computer a quick nap to reset and refresh. Many issues, such as slow performance or unresponsive programs, can be solved with a simple restart. This basic step is effective because it eliminates minor glitches and renews your system's resources.
Fun Fact: The first computer, ENIAC, built in 1945, weighed 30 tons and used 150 kilowatts of power, equivalent to about 150,000 light bulbs!
Handling Pop-Up Ads and Strange Google Results
If you see pop-up ads or Google looks strange, run a trusted antivirus program to scan for and remove any malicious code from advertisements.
https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/find-out-if-your-computer-is-protected
Then, reset your browser to its default settings by going to your browser's settings menu and selecting "Reset." These steps will help clean up your browser and improve your online experience. Learn More
Fun Fact: The first web browser, WorldWideWeb (later renamed Nexus), was created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1990. It was designed to be a simple tool to navigate the new World Wide Web.
Slow Computer or Spinning Cursor?
If your computer is running slow or showing a spinning cursor, there may be too many programs open. Try closing background processes:
Mac: Press Option + Command + Escape simultaneously to open Force Quit. Select the process and click “Force Quit.”
Windows: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Find the program under the "Processes" tab, select it, and click the "End Task" button.
These tips should help improve your computer’s performance.
Fun Fact: During the Apollo moon landings, NASA's Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) was crucial for navigating astronauts to the moon. Despite being less powerful than a modern-day calculator, it performed all the necessary computations for the lunar landing!
Quote of the Week:
"To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer." – Paul R. Ehrlich
We would Love to Hear from You!
Do you have any tips, technology advice, or stories about tech woes? Let us know at info@mywisdom.io.