I always – always -- see my older adult clients in person. Why? For several reasons: I have to see their screens and where they place their hands on the keyboard. Plus, we really like to see each other. But we can’t do that now.
So, for clients who I’ve been seeing for a while, I’ve been walking them through lessons over the phone, without seeing their screens.
COVID-19 snuck up on us and I wasn’t ready. None of us were. I’ve had to move out of my comfort zone. But, surprisingly, it’s working. I’m happy to say that my clients and I have had huge successes!
· I have an 80-something-year-old who goes to her synagogue’s Friday night services. She’s mastered how to type in the temple’s website and then click on the Live Cam.
· Another client learned how to use Venmo. The following day, she got on her Chair Yoga class on the video platform Vimeo. (Did these take more time than learning in person? Yes, they did, but we were both very patient.)
· And a woman in her 90s is now using Zoom. I walked her through the steps by asking, “What do you see on your screen?” She would read to me from the top of her screen down until I could tell her what to click on. “Yes!," I’d say, “Click on ‘Join with Video.’” When I heard the host say, “And here’s Barbara!,” I was clapping my hands!
· I even learned something new. How to screen share my Zoom meeting so I could put up the Four Questions for our Passover Seder.
Two morals for this story: First, it’s harder right now but we can still learn, even if it’s uncomfortable at the beginning. Second, when we’re on the other side of this pandemic, all my clients will get a screen sharing program so that we can create a connection regardless of what life throws our way!
Nancy Spear
Nancy's Tech Help for Older Adults
310-365-9951 •info@nancys-tech-help.com•www.nancys-tech-help.com