You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
With technology speeding up, more and more young people begin to use mobile phones and the Internet, but old people have little chance to be exposed to them. What ways could mobile phone and the Internet be useful to old people? How can old people be encouraged to use this new technology?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer:
In this technology driven era, it is observed that elderly people exhibit a lack of interest towards the learning of new technology. This essay expresses the ways older people can use technology and it also suggests some measures help older people overcome their lack of curiosity to take advantages of new technology.
Obviously, new technology alleviates the workload and help to complete our daily tasks instantaneously with high perfection and this does not exclude the old people. For instance, people can pay the utility bills, do online shopping or can complete bank transactions through Internet just sitting at home. Older people, if taught how to take advantages of it, can save time and perform their banking and other necessary tasks staying at home. Undeniably, most of the elderly people are weak and unable to travel a lot. So being able to pay the bills and maintaining the bank account at their residence would be a blessing for them. Moreover, the retired people are socially isolated and less often contact their friends or relatives due to their physical weakness. But using the Internet and mobile gadget they can chat, talk or make video calls and enjoy their old age.
Furthermore, by the use of Internet they can also contact the family physician and discuss their illness and can do the follow-up. A simple video chat with a grandchild who stays far away or watching a favourite movie online could be a great satisfaction for a senior citizen. Once they are introduced with the advantages of the new technology like mobile phone, computer or the Internet, they will not fear the technological devices.
Nevertheless, interests towards learning new thing, especially technology related skills, decline as our age advances. This can be tackled by motivation and support from the youngsters. For instance, the grandchildren can teach the grandfather and grandmother how to operate a mobile phone or surf the Internet. In addition, mobile phones should be manufactured keeping those old people in mind. Large display with a larger font, voice navigation, and ease of use could be some vital factors to motivate old people to use cell phones. Instead of international language like English, local or regional languages should also be incorporated in the cell phone and websites so that the elderly people can follow the instruction independently. Last but not the least family members’ inspiration and supports can be two great factors to encourage old people to take advantages of technological devices like cell phones and Internets. Old people do not need to know how to built a website, rather they should be taught how to browse a website and introducing them the positive and interesting aspects of the technology would also encourage them to actually use them.
In conclusion, the advanced technologies like mobile phone and Internet could be really helpful for older people. Since older generation has a tendency not to learn the use of such technologies, it is young generation and family members’ responsibility to motivate and encourage them to take advantages of those technologies.
[Written by – Sukanya ]