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85-year-old tech-savvy senior defying stereotypes

<p>It seems like barely a day passes without the announcement of some new app, gadget or piece of technology, to the point when it can be a little overwhelming at times.</p> <p>But there are plenty of seniors who aren’t just surviving through this influx of technology, but thriving! 85-year-old Max Perlov might just be the best example of this.</p> <p>Max has been in Australia for 37 years after relocating from his native Russia. After working as a mechanical engineer, Max retained his keen interest in electronics which led him to start using computer technology in 1992.</p> <p>Max took to it like a duck to water, using his PC to complete work at home with 3D design software and finding various uses for his home computer over the last 21 years.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="750" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/37875/tech-savvy-senior-in-text_500x750.jpg" alt="Tech -savvy -senior -in -text"/></p> <p>Most recently, Max has become an avid tablet and mobile phone user, and uses this new wave of technology to communicate with family and friends all around the world.</p> <p>Max says, “I love that technology allows me to communicate with people all over the world. I’m a big fan of emojis, too – I often use them to make text messaging a bit more fun. I use the camera on my phone all the time when I’m out and about as well.”</p> <p>And this octogenarian isn’t slowing down anytime soon, giving himself the brand-new Samsung S8 as a little present to help celebrate his 85th birthday.</p> <p>Max is looking forward to getting his hands on this new piece of tech, “I’m excited to see what it’s like and am always looking at the latest tech advancements and products.”</p> <p>Are you using technology more and more these days? Share your experience in the comments below.</p>

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Tech-savvy seniors debunk myths over age and technology

<p>A grandmother is one of five tech-savvy seniors who are challenging the stereotype of the tech-befuddled senior citizen.</p> <p>The Age Hackers are a group of over-60 bloggers, who run a section of the online senior lifestyle magazine GrownUps.</p> <p>They blog about how using technology affects their lives, they review gadgets and give tech advice.</p> <p>Carol Bron​ said the group had been going since mid-Febuary.</p> <p>She hoped the conversational English style of their articles would encourage their readers to learn more about the technology they use.</p> <p>"It makes some people feel more comfortable when you're not being bamboozled with jargon."</p> <p>​Grey Power Manawatu president Lew Findlay thought the blog was a great idea.</p> <p>He said the older generation had become very technical.</p> <p>"Over half our members are doing their banking online now," he said.</p> <p>"A few older people do struggle with technology but it's a much smaller group than people think."</p> <p>Bron said she had always been interested in new technology.</p> <p>She learnt basic programming on a Commodore 64 computer, and worked with computers since the early 1980s often acting as an informal IT department.</p> <p>She said it often surprised people to find out she was the person in the family who owned all the latest gadgets and doled out the tech advice.</p> <p>"I've had it happen in shops. They see I'm old, and female, and think I know nothing."</p> <p>She said while shopping for a smartphone with her husband she had explained her technical requirements and preferences to a salesman, who then ignored her questions and talked to her husband instead.</p> <p>Bron said people should not assume older people would have trouble adapting to new technology.</p> <p>​"They forget we've seen more changes than the younger ones have.</p> <p>"If anything new technology is easier to learn than ever before.</p> <p>"In the early days of home computers the assumption was that if you had access to one you had some  basic programming skills. But modern PCs and mobile devices are designed to be intuitive and easy for anybody to use.</p> <p>"You just charge and go. Plus there are apps and search engines that do the work for you," she said.</p> <p>"It's a whole lot easier than coding your way through a doc on a Commodore 64, that's for sure."</p> <p><em>Written by Paul Mitchell. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. Image credit: Warwick Smith / Stuff.co.nz. </em></p>

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Aussie seniors are the world’s most tech savvy

<p><em><strong>Leigh Marcos is a mother of two who is passionate about the environment.</strong></em></p> <p>More senior Australians are embracing technology than ever before. Almost 80 per cent of over 65s are now online, compared to around 65 per cent four years ago. In fact, Australian seniors are ahead of the USA and the UK with their use of the internet and other technology.</p> <p>The Australian Communications Media Authority published a report <a href="http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/engage-blogs/engage-blogs/Research-snapshots/Digital-lives-of-older-Australians" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">examining how over 65s engaged with technology</span></strong></a>. The report discovered that many older Australians were positively embracing the modern digital age. It also found that most seniors <a href="http://www.nationalseniors.com.au/be-informed/news-articles/older-australians-go-digital" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">access the Internet from a computer at home</span></strong></a>, but an increasing number are using a tablet or phone.</p> <p><strong>Lack of confidence an obstacle to modern technology</strong></p> <p>But there are many seniors who are still uncertain about engaging with technology. Older adults often lack confidence to use technology such as computers and worry about how any memory problems they might have could impact on their abilities. Issues such as a decline in vision and hearing, as well as a reduction in motor skills are often obstacles that restrict seniors from feeling they are able to learn to use technology.</p> <p>One in five older Australians aged 65 and over, have never actually accessed the internet. They believe that they are too old to learn something new. But experts say that where most older people have a hard time learning new things, it is not actually because of their age. In actual fact, it is because they make a choice to stop learning even though they often don’t realise it.</p> <p><strong>Technology improves quality of life</strong></p> <p>One aspect threatening the quality of life of older people is being excluded from information that is available in the digital world. This <a href="http://anitacrawley.net/Articles/BoutltonLewisAGEING%20LEARNING%20AND%20COMPUTER%20TECHNOLOGY.pdf" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">isolation will only continue</span></strong></a> as technology develops. <a href="https://www.shieldmysenior.com/technology-and-seniors/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Seniors who have chosen to embrace technology</span></strong></a> have found that it has opened up a huge new world of possibilities and opportunities which have helped them enjoy more independence. It has allowed them to engage better with their local community, stay in touch with relatives who may live a distance away and have the independence to do more for themselves.</p> <p><strong>Useful (and fun) apps</strong></p> <p>A key way that technology is enhancing the life of seniors is with the <a href="http://www.seniors.com.au/news-insights/apps-for-seniors" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">huge number of apps available</span></strong></a>. These apps can be downloaded onto a tablet or smart phone and can help with every day activities, keep you healthy and can also be quite fun. Here are a few suggestions:</p> <ul> <li>Mint is a finance app that helps keep track of your finances.</li> <li>WebMD contains information on medical conditions and advice for healthy living and a symptom checker.</li> <li>Blood Pressure Monitor keeps track of your blood pressure.</li> <li>Find My iPhone is very useful when you cannot find your phone.</li> <li>Voice Reading will read text out loud.</li> <li>EyeReader is a magnifying glass.</li> <li>Crosswords Classic offers fun crossword puzzles.</li> <li>iBooks lets you download books to your iPhone.</li> <li>Emergency AUS provides real time emergency information for Australians.</li> <li>FaceTime lets you talk to your friends and relatives 'face to face' wherever they are in the world.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Be tech-savvy</strong></p> <p>For many older people, technology can be incredibly overwhelming and even intimidating. So they choose to avoid it completely. But to help seniors to become more tech-savvy, many more user-friendly devices have now come onto the market. <a href="http://www.dummies.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">There are also many 'how-to' sites</span></strong></a> for people of all ages to learn how to use new tech with step-by-step guides.</p> <p>Seniors shouldn't be missing out on the technology revolution that's all around us. The benefits it can bring are immense and with just a touch of a button, a tap on a screen or a click of a mouse, there is a whole world you can discover without even leaving your home.</p> <p><em>Written by Leigh Marcos.</em></p>

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