In a world where technology is moving quickly, it’s becoming more and more challenging to keep up. This is true for people of all ages, from little kids to older adults. But for older people, it can be tough to keep up with the new technology.
Older people may have memory problems, and people with Dementia have difficulty with cognitive issues. They have a hard time with simple everyday skills, let alone the nuances of using a smartphone. If an older person has a smartphone, this is how it can change that person’s life and the world as a whole!
What Is Dementia?
Dementia is a condition that affects how well you can think. The disease affects a person’s ability to think, remember, and reason; they can’t do everyday things because their cognition isn’t as good as it should be. Some people with Dementia have a hard time controlling their emotions, and their personalities change.
This section on BetterHelp has a lot of articles about Dementia. If you want to learn more about Dementia, check it out. The use of technology can bring up the impairments that people with Dementia have. It’s a big problem when someone can’t remember things.
The password I used to get into my account has been lost.
With so many apps on our phones, it can be hard to remember the password for each one. It isn’t enjoyable when you try to log into your banking app and can’t remember the letters, numbers, and special characters you used. If it’s hard for you, think about how it must be for an older person who has Dementia and how they must feel.
Because they need to do something that should be easy, like checking their account balance, the gate to the financial institution is locked, and their memory won’t give them the key. Forgetting a password may be a minor inconvenience to someone who doesn’t have cognitive problems, but an older person with Dementia may be agitated if they forget their password.
Frustrations With Technology And Dementia
They may also have other emotional problems if they have trouble with their smartphone. They may be afraid to use the device. When they’re nervous, they might not want to use the smartphone because it makes them feel bad. There could be a loss of confidence or low self-esteem because they can’t use a piece of technology.
Their cognitive problems aren’t their fault, but when they see other people use a smartphone with ease and can’t, it could make them feel bad. Another problem could be that it’s hard to ask for help.
Older people, phones, and independence
As a person gets older, they want to keep their sense of independence. When a person has Dementia and cognitive problems, it makes them less self-aware. As a result, they may want to ask for help but be ashamed or angry about it. They want to be able to use their phone alone.
They want to be able to use apps like everyone else. It might feel like a defeat to ask someone for help because their cognitive skills aren’t all there. The truth is that even people who don’t have Dementia have trouble with technology. We all want to learn about the new phones and apps out there.
It can be hard to figure out how to do something on a smartphone on your own. Whether you have Dementia or not, it’s OK to ask for help when you can’t figure out how to do something.
Using smartphones, Dementia, and being alone
Smartphones are supposed to keep us in touch with the rest of the world. We use apps on social media, chat functions, text messages, and phone calls to stay in touch. As we get older, we may want to keep in touch with our families. These features can be handy for older people who do this. It can make you feel like you’re part of a group.
But, if you have Dementia and you can’t figure out how to use your smartphone, it might not make you feel perfect about yourself. It can be challenging for older people to use the phone, making them feel like they’re not close to their loved ones. Perhaps their grandchildren are trying to send them a message on Facebook, but they can’t figure out how to answer.
That might make them feel down. It’s OK to ask for help if you can’t figure out how to use a smartphone because you don’t deserve to be alone.
A feature that makes it easier for people to get around.
The good news is that smartphones have a lot of features that make older people feel like they can do anything they want. To make it easier to read texts, emails, and articles on the internet, you can change the size of the text on your iPhone so that it’s easier to read.
Some apps keep your passwords safe, so you can find them quickly if you forget them. Dementia can make it hard for you to use technology, but help is out there. Your mental health doesn’t have to be affected by this.
In Therapy, we learn more about Dementia.
Getting help from a licensed therapist if you have Dementia and your mental health is going down is fine. When you have problems with technology or for any other reason, you might not connect with people.
Therapy can be good for you, and it can help you. People with Dementia can get help with their mental health if they need it. If you’re a friend or family member, you can point them in the right direction. Everyone should go to Therapy, no matter how old they are.
