Technology is Essential

Technology has become ubiquitous in our daily lives. It touches almost everything we do in some shape of form.  It has changed the way we communicate, work, and entertain ourselves. The computer as we know it was invented less than 100 years ago, and the global impact has been revolutionary.

As magnificent as computers can be, at some point you have to wonder how much is too much. We use them for education, work, information seeking, connecting with friends and family, shopping and even seeing the doctor. How much to rely on technology is a very personal choice.

More and more, even if you want to minimize your use of computers, you still need to have basic skills for day-to-day living.  Have you tried to buy a landline phone for home use recently? The yellow pages are gone so you probably will have to “google” it to find a store that sells them.  All but one of the phones I found had to be ordered online.

Have you tried to do a rental application or apply to social security without a computer and an email address. You even need to schedule an appointment for help with social security online. And if get stuck, it’s almost impossible to reach someone on the phone for assistance.

An email address is almost more essential than a phone number. Appointments are confirmed via email, receipts are sent via email, contracts are negotiated and signed via email. You can even read email on some watches!

Technology and computers have taken the world by storm, but not everyone has one or wants one.  Whether you can’t afford one, or are just holding out, there will be times that you need to use a computer. The Madison Senior Center (MSC) has a Computer Lab specifically for older adults for this very reason.

The MSC Computer Lab is open Mondays and Fridays, 8:30 am – 12:45 pm and Tuesday through Thursday, 8:30 am – 3:45 pm.  So, when you have to break down and reach out into cyber space there are options. On Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoon a volunteer is available for individual help. Scheduling an appointment is recommended.

Assistance can be anything from setting up an email, recovering a password, learning how to use a search engine, or finding information. If our volunteers don’t know how to help you, they will try to figure it out and schedule a follow-up appointment.

Technology changes so quickly, everyone needs help occasionally. If you are a novice, there in only one way to gain skills, and that is to start at the beginning and ask questions. Coming to the Computer Lab is also a great way to meet other people who are learning.

If you are on the other end of the computer spectrum, you might want to come in and be a volunteer. Our volunteers are not technology masters, but they do have some experience and knowledge, and they like to problem solve and help others.

The impact of technology on our daily life has been profound. It has made communication, work, and entertainment more accessible and convenient. The internet provides us with an endless source of information. However, it’s and individual decision on how much you choose to take advantage of technology and computers. You may prefer a simpler lifestyle without the distractions of computer.