The everyday tasks being overcomplicated by tech (and how to take back control)
Once upon a time you booked a doctor's appointment by making a phone call with no apps required
Do the words “download the app” make you feel weary, disheartened or even despairing? You are not alone. Apps are increasingly responsible for the day-to-day tasks and activities that define our lives, from turning on the radio to opening a bank account and our reliance on tech shows no sign of slowing down.
But while the leaps forward have been welcomed by most, particularly the young, others have struggled to get to grips with the digital era. A 2023 Age UK study found that almost half (46 per cent) of people aged 65 and over are unable to complete basic tasks online.
“The internet offers a range of benefits, helping people to make savings and keep in touch with loved ones but there are 2.7 million over-65s who don’t use the internet at all, that’s one in five,” says Caroline Abrahams, the charity director of Age UK. “For people in this situation, life is getting harder and more frustrating if they are expected to use technology for basic tasks like making a doctor’s appointment or parking near the shops.”
Navigating the devices in our pockets, not to mention our homes, is now a minefield of passwords and codes. The world outside offers little respite – with everything from buying a rail ticket or booking a table at a restaurant increasingly done online.
“If you’re not a digital native it is challenging to keep up unless you’re really motivated,” says Robin Christopherson, the head of digital inclusion at AbilityNet, a charity that provides support to make technology more accessible to disabled and elderly people.
Here, people over the age of 60 share their tech frustrations, and we offer up some solutions.
Boiling a kettle
Pritpal has chosen a simple plug-in electric hob rather than buying a new cooker - Heathcliff O'Malley for The Telegraph
How we used to do it: Fill kettle, switch on, wait, pour.
How we do it now: Either using a hot water tap that involves a dexterous press, hold and twist manoeuvre for instant boiling water, or an app-controlled, voice-activated smart kettle that promises precision control if connected to Wi-Fi.
What’s problematic? “I can’t imagine anything more confusing,” says Pritpal Kaur, 73, from Middlesex. “I prefer a plug-in kettle and cooker – my oven was 65-years-old and since it broke I now cook everything in the air fryer or on a standalone plug-in hob because they’re simple to use and I can’t deal with all the complicated buttons on a new cooker.”
What’s the solution? Impaired vision or reduced strength may mean voice-activated kettles are worth considering but, for most, the familiarity of a plug-in kettle (no Wi-Fi required) is preferable. For cooking, it’s worth considering an induction hob that uses electromagnetism and is not affected by residual heat, reducing the risk of burns once a pan is removed. Double handed saucepans may also be easier to lift.
Listening to music or the radio
Listening to the radio
How we used to do it: Plug in, wiggle aerial, enjoy.
How we do it now: Via DAB radio or smart speakers, or with a subscription to a music streaming service, via an app.
What’s problematic? All smart speakers require a Wi-Fi connection and a smartphone with an app that connects to the speaker via Bluetooth. “That’s too many devices for me so instead I use YouTube on an iPad to search for and listen to music or watch music videos,” says Kaur.
What’s the solution? Some simple but cleverly designed DAB radios such as the One Button Digital DAB Radio, designed specifically for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, are also perfect for those who find modern technology confusing.
Making a phone call
Making a phone call
How we used to do it: Pick up the phone, dial the number.
How we do it now: Use our voice, face or fingerprint to make a call using a smartphone. Some headphones or smartwatches mean you don’t even need to take your phone out of your pocket to dial.
What’s the solution? “My phone has a lot of functions that I’ll never use but I can make calls to family and friends and send text messages, which is helpful when I’m not at home,” says Kaur.
What’s the solution? A basic mobile phone will give you all the functions you need to make a voice call or send a text message. For other forms of communication such as messenger apps or social media, you’ll need a smartphone to download the relevant apps.
Christopherson recommends what he calls a “semi-smart” phone. “There are a number of these aimed at older or disabled users that, as well as [allowing for] calls and messages, can often play audio books, music and the radio and check emails or connect to the internet with simpler, clearer screens.”
Booking train tickets
Booking a train ticket
How we used to do it: Go to the station, buy a ticket from a manned office.
How we do it now: Pre-book online via rail network websites or apps for a paperless ticket that is stored on your phone.
What’s problematic? “Not having a person to speak to if I have a question about a journey or the price is daunting,” says Heather Walsh, 66, from Essex. “Some friends have said they avoid travelling altogether now because it doesn’t seem worth the hassle.”
What’s the solution? For now, booking online with a credit card or using touchscreen ticket machines at stations is the simplest option but, in future, artificial intelligence (AI) will be able to help, albeit devices will need to be set-up accordingly, adding another layer of complexity first.
“AI will increasingly be able to interact with apps and websites for you, whether via your tablet, smart speaker or semi-smart phone, you will soon be able to ask your virtual assistant to book an airline ticket, a table at a restaurant or theatre tickets, with most of the large tech companies promising this imminently,” says Christopherson.
Going to the bank
Waiting at the bank
How we used to do it: Visit a branch with your bankbook, speak to a cashier.
How we do it now: Log on to a mobile banking app using a series of passcodes or a card reading device.
What’s problematic? “I’m constantly writing down complex instructions and passwords just to log in which can feel overwhelming,” says Walsh. “The biggest issue is that it limits the social interaction that I used to enjoy from speaking to a cashier at the counter.”
What’s the solution? Where possible stick to the phone, advises Christopherson. “Banks are not allowed to ditch their phone channel so telephone banking is useful. Your voice can also be used to verify your identity instead of passwords. And where branches have been lost, other banking services (like cashing cheques) are now available at your local Post Office.”
Going shopping
Shopping
How we used to do it: Head to the high street.
How we do it now: Log on to a mobile device or laptop, make purchases using an online payment method such as entering your credit card details or via Apple Pay or PayPal.
What’s problematic? All payment devices require setting up in advance and online shopping requires having a credit card and an email address. “The lack of high street stores forces most shopping to be done online instead of using cash and if you need to return something, it involves a complex process of generating a QR code and finding the appropriate drop-off store or Post Office to return your parcel,” says Walsh.
What’s the solution? There are many benefits to online shopping, but the returns process can be daunting. Before you buy, check the return terms and methods on the website. Most purchases can be returned free of charge via a courier, delivery company or the Post Office. You will require an email address that you can access from your smartphone to present the QR code at the counter, or a printer to print out your return label.
Using a map
Reading a map
How we used to do it: Open an A-Z or road atlas, follow the map and memorise the route for next time.
How we do it now: Type in an address and use satellite navigation devices or mobile phone apps to follow a path towards the destination.
What’s problematic? Staring down at the map on your phone can leave you vulnerable to crime and a lack of awareness of your surroundings. “It’s made me less confident and much less independent,” says Kaur.
What’s the solution? A paper map, providing your eyesight is good, is still a great option. “If not, use the in-built map on a tablet so you can pinch and stretch to zoom in and out, or your smartphone GPS can provide audio instructions for walking or driving.”
Making a GP’s appointment
A doctor's waiting room
How we used to do it: Call the doctor, book an appointment.
How we do it now: By phone or via a portal or app accessible from your smartphone.
What’s problematic? “It’s that they’re all different – some are by email, some are text and it’s difficult to remember what you need for which service,” says Kaur. “I have been going through treatment for blood cancer and if my daughter hadn’t been able to fight for appointments, medication and second opinions on my behalf I don’t know what I would have done.”
What’s the solution? Services vary between surgeries and locations so get to know which process is used by your local GP or hospital. “Regulations-wise, medical services can’t just go fully digital so use the phone and the callback option if your surgery offers it to save sitting in queues. Online is almost always quickest so if you can get somebody to show you how it works for when you need it, do so,” says Christopherson.
Parking your car
Paying to park
How we used to do it: Find a parking spot, feed coins into the meter.
How we do it now: By scanning a QR code linked to an app or website and paying online or over the phone.
What’s problematic? For those requiring exemption, like Diana Cook, 68, from Barnet, it is even more complex: “I am relatively tech savvy but the TfL website is frustrating and difficult to navigate with absolutely no way of talking to a person when you run into trouble. When I changed my car to an electric vehicle and tried to register for exemption to the congestion charge, I was made to jump through hoops, uploading endless unnecessary documents, and I almost gave up.”
What’s the solution? “Unlike banking, car park payments can be a wild west, especially if they’re online only and I have heard examples of people driving in [to spaces] and getting stuck, unable to pay,” says Christopherson. “If you can, check the parking payment process beforehand and where it’s an option, make a phone call or scan a QR code to make the payment online.”
Booking a table at a restaurant
A London restaurant, circa 1960
How we used to do it: Call up, book a table.
How we do it now: Log on to a website or app, browse the menu, book a suitable slot and secure the booking with a credit card.
What’s problematic? “Sometimes I just want to pick up the phone and ask about a specific thing on the menu or about where to sit – it puts me off going to a restaurant if you don’t have that personal connection,” says Walsh.
What’s the solution? Where possible, pick up the phone. “Increasingly organisations make it difficult to find their number and prefer you to book online. If you have one, smart speakers are great at finding the phone numbers of businesses and if you ask them, they can call the number for you,” says Christopherson.
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