New technologies have always been scary. Mostly because people prefer the familiar and technological advancements bring unexpected changes into the world they worked so hard to adjust to. So it’s not surprising that some individuals reject innovations or take longer to adapt to them. Especially the older folks, whose declining cognitive and motor skills are making it even harder to keep up with modern devices.
Luckily, this doesn’t stop them from trying, often resulting in quite a few funny blunders and mishaps. Bored Panda has compiled a whole list of texting fails, hoping that it serves as a reminder to message your elders and encourage them to use technology more often. After all, practice does make perfect!
#1 Dammit Facebook!
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#2
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#3
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It’s true that more and more people over 60 are embracing modern technology (just look at these awesome folks on this list!). 2023 statistics reveal that 80% of people over 65 own a smartphone, while in 2020, it was found that 55% of elders over 75 use the internet.
There’s also been a rise in seniors who use tablets and social media platforms. 43% of adults over 50 report getting social daily, with their most preferred way to do so being Facebook.
#4 No
#5 Thabks Dad
Image credits: BlocklyGD
#6 I Don't Know Grandma
Image credits: Sue_Flay
However, despite this, the digital divide between generations still remains quite wide. Many aging individuals struggle with modern devices because they aren’t quite as senior-friendly yet.
Tiny buttons, cluttered screens, and quickly disappearing message notifications often make older adults let their hands down. In fact, 64% of people over the age of 50 believe that technology isn’t designed with their specific age group in mind.
#7
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#8 Excellent Work
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#9 Sent This To My Dad A Couple Of Years Ago. Still Makes Me Laugh
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With age, a lot of adults experience a decline in brain functions like memory, attention, and processing speed. This can make learning to use modern devices more difficult, especially when they come across unfamiliar concepts and a constant flow of notifications and information. Their loss of vision, hearing, and fine motor skills also add to the difficulty of trying to grasp new technologies.
However, it’s important to not give up when faced with these challenges, as older adults who don’t know how to use technology can feel isolated and disconnected. They might miss out on calls with family or online communities that can provide them with a sense of belonging. This can further lead to loneliness, depression, and issues with physical health.
#10 Woke Up This Morning With A Text From Grandma
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#11
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#12
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The elderly who struggle with modern devices may also miss out on various opportunities like online learning, entertainment, shopping and so much more. This can hinder their personal growth and disconnect them from the world around them. They might also start losing their independence as many everyday tasks, from banking to appointments, now rely on digital devices.
#13 Grandma
Image credits: ashIeykate
#14 I Found An Old Screenshot From The First Time My Grandma Messaged Me. I Love Her
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#15 Text To Speech Problems
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In addition, the inability to use modern tools may pose safety risks. If they can’t navigate online sources, they might miss important safety alerts, struggle to reach out in an emergency, or be more vulnerable to scammer attacks.
On the contrary, mastering technology helps older people to ensure their safety, keep in touch with family and friends, stay informed on the latest news, and even improve mental and physical well-being. Various games on phones and tablets can improve memory and cognition skills, while health applications in combination with smartwatches remind elders to move around every hour and record various important health metrics like heart rate, calorie intake, and sleep patterns.
#16 A Friend Posted This
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#17 Thanks
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#18 “Go To Bed”
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To make the transition easier, older people may need help from their loved ones. The younger folks might start introducing them to technology by explaining the basics, like what apps and social media platforms are and where they can find the essentials, such as the phone book, messages, and camera. They might understand better if these concepts are compared to things they already know and use. For instance, the web page address can be comparable to a street address.
#19 Can The iPad If He Uses This iPhone?
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#20
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#21 My Mom Had An Interesting Conversation With Her Friend
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During this, it’s important to be slow and patient and allow them to figure things out for themselves. Assure them that they aren’t going to break anything, as a lot of older people might be worried about it. While you’re at it, make sure to explain why technological literacy is important and how they can benefit from it. Don’t forget to repeat everything often and use simple language—terms like selfies or emojis might not be a part of their daily conversations yet.
#22 My Mom Replied To Her Own Text
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#23 Grandma Said She Was In The Middle Of The Atlantic Late Last Night With No Extra Explanation
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#24
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Perhaps the most crucial part in all of this is teaching them about internet safety. Help them set up secure passwords and warn them not to send sensitive information to anyone they don’t know. Educate them on all the ways scammers may try to deceive them and why it’s vital not to click on suspicious links. If they need it, write everything down!
#25 Thanks Ma
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#26 Man's Mother Likes To Use The Microphone Function Rather Than Typing To Text While Driving
Image credits: reddit.com
#27 My Mother, Texting Me Sh*tty Jokes At 1 A.m, While Sat 1 Room Away From Me
Image credits: Djinnn14
Another challenge that elders might face is texting, as small keyboards on phones can be hard to master. First, try downloading a custom keyboard with bigger buttons and enlarging the size of the text as much as they require. Then comes practice. You might ask them to message you every day and give texting assignments, like writing how their day has been or what they did throughout it. With practice and help from their loved ones, elders should master technologies in no time. Oh, and make sure to explain emojis and slang so no awkward blunders happen!
#28 The Radio Was On
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#29 My Grandma
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#30 Coward
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#31 My Grandma’s Friend Used The Voice Text Option And Couldn’t Get It To Stop
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#32 My Grandma Learns To Text
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#33
#34 Congrats
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#35 One Of My Mom's Weekly Texts To Her It Guy (Me)
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#36
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#37 My Dad Tried To Use The Voice-To-Text Feature On His Phone
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#38
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#39
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#40 60 Year Old Coworker Has Been Texting Me Everyday For Over A Year
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#41 The First Texts My Grandma Ever Sent
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#42 He's Trying
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#43 "I Promise I'll Behave Myself"
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#44 Texting With Dad
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#45
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#46
#47 Grandpa Just Learned How To Text Photos...he Still Has Some Logistics To Think Through
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#48 Gran Trying Her Hand At Texting
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#49 Friend’s Mom Is Still Learning Emojis
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#50 My Aunt Texted Me For My Phone Number
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#51 Aw, Mom Is Cute And Easily Impressed. She Just Recently Learned To Text
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#52 My Dad's Business Idea
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#53 Texting My Granny Is Always An Adventure
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#54 So My Dad Got His First Smartphone
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#55 Grandma's First Text To My Mom
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#56 Just Can't Figure It Out
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#57 Birthday Text From My Mom...i’m 25
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#58 My Mom Sends Me Really Cryptic Texts Sometimes
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#59 Gramma Is Living In 3017
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#60 Mom Texts
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#61 Mom?
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#62 My Aunt's Response To A Photo Of My Husband And Me Where I Jokongly Said We Are "Ready To Take On The Apocolypse"
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#63 Mom Can Text Now
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#64 I Never Thought My Dad Belonged Here Until Now
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#65 My Mom Only Responds Using Speech To Text
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#66 Texting Dad About Lunch
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#67 My Mom Has Some Trouble Reading
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#68 Thanks For Clarifying Mom
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#69 My Dad Tried To Use The Voice-To-Text Feature On His Phone
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#70 When 10 Year Olds And Grandmas Text Each Other
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#71 Woke Up To This
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#72 My Grandma Texted Me This And Is Now Avoiding All My Calls
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#73 Made My Grandma A Bitmoji And This Is What She Texted Her Friend
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#74 I Left My Phone At My Parents House So My Mom Texted My A Picture Of My Phone Sitting On The Counter To My Phone
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#75 My Dad Is Still Figuring Out Texting
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#76 Texts From Mom
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#77 Dad Has A Remedy To Me Walking In The Snow
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#78 Mom Can Text Now
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#79 My Friend's Parents Trying To Text
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#80 Otherwise Known As A Phone Number?
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#81 Grandma Is Learning To Text...slowly
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#82 When Grandpas Text
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#83 I Still Have No Idea What She Ordered
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#84 Got This Text From My Mom
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#85 Texts From My Grandma Who Just Turned 80
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#86 I’m Not Even Sure If She Knows What She Was Saying
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#87 Please Take Me Off Your Texas, Thanks
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#88 Who Says I Am Here To Text!!
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