Did You Know? 66% of Seniors Don't Get the Help They Want with Technology

iTOK Infographic from our January survey: Did you know that 2/3 of older adults today don't get the help they need to learn and enjoy new technologies?
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Written by Staff Writer • Posted on Jan 23, 2015

Recently, we conducted a survey about remote tech support for seniors by emailing a random selection of Bask members questions about how they used technology over the holidays.

Many of you chimed in, giving us great insight into which devices you received as gifts, how you feel about setting up and using your new gadgets, and how you used technology to communicate with friends and family over the holiday season. Thanks to those who participated and graciously lent us your voice!

Some of the insights from this survey were quite surprising, so we decided to create an infographic to share our favorite findings. Infographics are a fun and easy way to present numerical data, and you've likely seen them around the Internet before. We created a nifty PDF version that you can easily download and printit's the perfect size for one sheet of paper.

Bask Infographic: January Survey

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Download and print this infographic here: January Survey Infographic

If you'd rather read over our findings, here's a quick recap:

What were the most popular tech gifts for seniors in 2014?

  • Of the 106 members surveyed, 13% received a new cellphone, and nearly 10% received a new e-reader (Kindle, Nook, etc.). That's a lot of new handheld devices!

How do older adults feel about their new technology?

  • 27% of those surveyed say they are puzzled or intimidated by their new devices. As exciting as new gadgets can be, there is usually a learning curve before using them becomes intuitive and enjoyable.

Do older adults get the instruction they need?

  • Even though more than half of our respondents (56%) say they would need some help learning how to use their new device... Two-thirds (66%) say that no one has given them any instruction!
  • Interestingly, nearly a quarter (23%) got help from a family member. We all know that someone in our family who we call to fix computer issues, right? They're pretty handy, but remember -- your Bask Technology Advisor is always standing by to provide guidance, even on the holidays!

How did older adults communicate with family and friends?

  • Here's something you might not expect: During the holidays, communicating via email (58%) was just as popular as talking on the phone (58%)! Additionally, a full third (34%) of respondents say they posted on social media during the holidays. Who says Boomers don't use tech?

Which devices did seniors want but not receive this holiday season?

  • The most popular products were Apple devices, bringing in 12% of the vote. iPads and iPhones were both notable entries on our members' wish lists!

We hope to do more surveys throughout 2015, so keep an eye on your inbox for new survey invitations :) We love hearing from our members, and each answer helps our Technology Advisors find even better ways to improve your digital life.

If you'd like to share your experiences with remote computer repair for seniors, feel free to take the conversation to our Facebook page! Find us at www.facebook.com/itokdotnet.