Meet the Seniors Who Love Technology

When I meet her at the DOC’s cafe in Mount Martha where her and her husband have chosen to retire, she sits in a knitted white jumper, a lavender scarf wrapped elegantly around her neck and her white hair pulled neatly back into a bun. She looks like any other retiree who has chosen a sea-change lifestyle in her senior years but pulls out her Sony E-reader device.

“This is the Sony reader” she tells me with a hint of an English accent, flipping open its black leather cover and demonstrating her favourite features. “I like that it has a light and the pen is good for editing manuscripts”, Julie worked in publishing for 25 years and retired eight years ago, but still does the occasional freelance editing.

Julie Watts is one of the retirees who is embracing new technology rather than shying away from it. From Facebook to Skype and E-readers there’s not much Julie hasn’t tried.

Her first dip into electronic books came when a trip to the UK to visit her ‘old mum’ came up and she was drawn to the convenience of a digital book.

With a brother in Canada, a mother in the UK and a son in Asia, long trips can pose a problem for an avid reader.

“I’m a big reader” she tells me, “I have a lot of long trips and I’m delighted not to carry so many books. I’m not good at throwing books away, so now I can bring home clothes or other shopping instead of having to lug the books back” she said.

Julie Watts with her Sony E-reader.

An electronic reading device or ‘e-reader’ allows users to download books onto a digital device from the internet, much in the same way the iPod is used to download songs digitally the same can now be done with books.

Although met with initial fear and speculation by publishers and readers alike, the ‘e-book’ is becoming increasingly popular, with some statistics suggesting they may be outselling the traditional paper book.

A recent study from the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany suggested that e-readers and digital books are ideal for those over 60. The study found that retirees could read the page of a digital book faster than a printed page, and most digital books are cheaper than their paper counterparts.

Although somewhat ironically people in their 60s are the least likely to use e-readers and digital books, with e-books most popular with those under 50.

When I explain this study Julie nods her head in agreement, “You can make the type larger so it’s good for those with poor eyesight” she explains, noting that her husband prefers to use his e-reader to change the amount of words that appear on a page.

She also feels retirees would be drawn to the cost of an e-book compared to a paper book, “the price difference is very important for seniors and retirees, absolutely…You have to really watch where you’re money goes (when you retire)” she said.

However Julie also understands the reluctance for seniors to take up e-books despite the advantages.

The process of buying an electronic book for a person under 50 may seem easy, but they most likely already have the skills and knowledge to access the technology. Not many Gen Xs or Gen Ys may think about where they would find a laptop, a credit card or how they would use them. But these ‘basic’ technologies to the younger generation can be an overwhelming hurdle for those in their senior years.

“We didn’t grow up with the technology” Julie said. “I suppose it’s like learning a foreign language, it’s easier when you’re younger” she said.

“The device (e-reader) itself is not that difficult, but it’s all these steps before hand that you’ve got to do and be comfortable with…Firstly you have to be comfortable online, you have to put in your credit card details and some people in their 80s don’t have a credit card” she explained.

One element that the digital book can’t replace however is the feel and atmosphere a physical book creates.

“I still prefer the old paper book” Julie said. “I just like to read the blurb and reviews and go back and look at the cover… with e-books there’s nothing to look at.”

Julie feels that a physical book creates a better mood for reading while a digital book feels more disposable.

“What’s happened is the e-books are like the little cheap paperbacks that are perhaps not seen around as much anymore….because when you would spend $15 maybe on a little paperback on your holiday and then you’d throw it away. I think the e-book has replaced that in a lot of ways” she said.

Social media sites such as Facebook have also been a surprising discovery for Julie, who was convinced to try it after her daughter suggested it would be a good way to keep in touch with Julie’s son while he was overseas. “Mum you should get on Facebook, it’s the only way to know what Dan is doing” she told her.

Initially prejudiced against the idea of Facebook, Julie was surprised to discover how reconnected she felt after joining the global social networking phenomenon.

“I was quite prejudiced and ignorant but what I discovered was that it’s a good way… to stay connected, and that’s one thing that happens when you retire and you move down the coast… You can soon find yourself in your own little bubble … and after a while you can feel out of touch” she said.

She’s tried to convert some of her friends to Facebook, but so far hasn’t had much luck.

“My friends who are in their 70s, I would say are not particularly interested. They’re happy to use the phone… but it’s a bit ‘take it or leave it, it’s a bit ‘why do I need this in my life?” she said.

“I feel reconnected in a way I hadn’t expected” she said with a smile.