Tech Confusion

by vix on January 23, 2012


My 74 year old mother has never been one for technology. She says it confuses her.

brain

Brain Drain

But being that she’s living in the technological age, and that she lives in technology savvy Australia, technology has started to make an impact on her life, whether she likes it or not.

First there was the whiz bang answering machine, that is purposefully looped as my Mum is hard of hearing. Then came the new TV, and laptop and medical wizardry. Luckily (for me and this blog! Though it wouldn’t be a problem if she read it, would it? Love you Mum!) she is still on dial-up, but technology is creeping into her life so quickly it is surely only a matter of time until she is whizzing along the WWW.

God help me!

Until then, here’s two stories illustrating how confusing the older generation can find tech.

My Mum has worn hearing aids for many years and as she ages her hearing is getting worse, so it was with relief that she received a shiny new set of hearing aids just before Christmas. She was thrilled with the quality of the sound that helped her pick up conversation (especially in the harder to hear range) rather than amplify the background noise. She was delighted with the fit, the feel and the assurance that it was really top knotch tech. Beaming from ear to ear, with hearing aids in, she headed off to Bridge. Mum is a superb Bridge player, she’s quick witted and numeric and holds an excellent poker face. She is quite the darling of the Bridge playing older single set, everyone wants to be her partner.

She is so popular at Bridge that she actually attends two groups, but the meeting today was held in the clubhouse of the beautiful local golf course. Sitting there with her partners, dressed carefully I imagined she looked the epitome of elegance.

“It was a good game,” she told me.

“Until, there was this strange buzzing sound. I looked all around to see if a fly had got in through a screen somewhere, but no. And then it stopped, so I got back to my game.”

But not for long! Within a few moments, a strange disembodied voice said in her head -

“I am losing battery power.”

Mum looked up with alarm. Was her Bridge partner waning? No, he was still studying his hand. Then she heard it again.

“I have completely discharged battery.”

IT WAS IN HER HEAD.

OMG! She thought ‘I’m losing my marbles’ And just as she was debating if she should quietly excuse herself and ring the doctor, she heard the most worrying message of all.

“I am shutting down now!”

Mum waited with sweaty palms for her brain to shut down. She glanced, panicked, around the table to see if anyone else could see the signs of imminent shut-down but everyone was chatting until there was a slight ‘pop’ and she couldn’t hear anything much at all.

“And you know what Vix? It was my hearing aids running out of batteries. It gave me the fright of my life.”

I think she did remarkably well, not sure how I’d react if the little voice in my brain stopped telling me how much I need chocolate and threatened to shut down!

 

Next time: Texting troubles

 
Image: Flickr CC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/labguest/

Tagged as: brain drain, elderly, funny, hearing loss, humour, technology, technophobes

  • Anonymous

    Great story. I’d need a voice saying “social network online overload – I’m shutting doen now, go do some work!” (or go to bed depending on the time). 

    • Anonymous

      Thanks Rachael, glad you enjoyed. Poor Mum she really did get quite a start but was laughing when she told me the tale.

  • http://www.expatmum.blogspot.com/ Expat Mum

    OMG that is hilarious. I may have to find out the type of hearing aid for my FIL. He keeps ordering different custom made ones and then sending them back because everything is too load! Sigh..

    • http://www.vegemitevix.com vix

      I’ll have to ask Mum next time I chat with her. I ring her from the UK in Australia every weekend. Aren’t a good daughter! ;-p

    • Anonymous

      I should ask her what she’s using and get back to you. In the past hearing aids have been a real pain and only amplify the background noise. It’s so irritating for the wearer because they really feel left out of the conversation, and sometimes even a little ‘dumb’ or slow because they can’t follow the conversation. Frustration plus!

  • http://bloggertropolis.blogspot.com/ Steve

    Does not compute. Shutting down now. Server error. Illegal download.

    These are all things that the small voice in my head whispers to me. I wouldn’t mind but I have perfect hearing.

    • http://www.vegemitevix.com/ Vegemitevix

      I have perfect hearing too, but the voices in my head are on a constant loop requesting wine, chocolate, and a bit of the other.

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