metro >> Jews in the digital age

Technology
Through
The Eyes of
The Golden
Generation

A

few weeks ago, I found myself
quite agitated. I was in the
Jewish Community Center's
fitness center on a stationary bicycle
when the WiFi signal became too weak
for me to continue watching a televi-
sion show on my cell phone that I had
recorded on the DVR at my home
the night before. I was connected to
a SlingBox at my house through the
SlingPlayer mobile app on my phone.
My annoyance only lasted for a few
seconds as I just switched to the Netflix
app, began watching an old episode of
How I Met Your Mother and continued
with my workout.
It wasn't until later that day that I
realized how ridiculous it was that I
was aggravated by this minor technical
glitch and had become so indifferent
to the amazement of this 21st-century
technology.
I ordered my grandmother
a new desktop computer
from Amazon and took it
over to her West Bloomfield
home to install. She watched
in awe as I quickly assembled
her new computer, connect-
ed the monitor, keyboard
and mouse, and installed the
Windows 8 operating system.
This wasn't her first com-
puter, but it was her first
brand new computer. In the
past, she would graciously
accept any of the older models her
children or grandchildren weren't using
anymore.
After setting up the Internet con-
nection, I asked her if she had ever
heard of Pandora. She had not. I swiftly
installed the app, set up a new account
for her and created a few stations of
music I knew she would enjoy. When
she realized that she could simply type
in any song, artist or genre and listen
to it for free, she was amazed. Her eyes
lit up like she had just seen fire for the
first time. And that's when it hit me. I
have completely taken technology for
granted.
To truly appreciate the modern
innovations we enjoy on a daily basis,
we need to see technology through the

22

February 26 • 2015

perspective of an
octogenarian or a
nonagenarian.
My children's
generation can't be
blamed for not appre-
ciating technology for
they were born into
the digital age. The
way I don't remember Jason Miller shows his grandmother, Adele Gudes, how
a time before power
to use a notebook computer in 2001.
windows and answer-
ing machines, my
children don't remember a time before
wouldn't be interested because of her
smartphones, GPS, DVRs and digital
advanced age? Perhaps this is a mistake
cameras.
that many of us in the younger genera-
My 93-year-old grandmother on the
tions make when it comes to introduc-
other hand remembers when there was
ing the golden generation to technology.
no FM radio, and now she can have an
While my grandmother doesn't walk
algorithm select songs for her based on
as quickly as she once did and doesn't
her musical taste. Her sense of amaze-
drive a car or play bridge anymore, she
ment was a wakeup call for
can certainly enjoy listening to music
me.
on Pandora or scanning photos of her
grandkid's recent vacation.
Not only did my grand-
Miry Serlin of Michigan Senior
mother's introduction to
Pandora alert me to how easy Planning makes it a point to encourage
her clients to use technology to stay in
it is for us to become blasé
touch with their families.
about modern technology, it
"One 96-year-old client continues to
also made me regret not tak-
feel, in his words, 'relevant' by using
ing the time to introduce her
Facebook and LinkedIn," she explained.
to other innovations that we
"Skype is also great for seniors to stay
all enjoy and have come to
connected with relatives in different
take for granted.
states and countries."
On a return visit to my
Boomers have embraced the digital
grandmother's home, I offered
age thanks to their children encourag-
to set her up with a Facebook
ing them to learn to use smartphones,
account. I reasoned that she would be
tablets, eReaders and even wearables.
able to see photos of her grandchildren
and great-grandchildren and stay updat- Too often, however, we neglect the old-
est generation and forget to encourage
ed of our lives. Her response surprised
me. She wanted to know how much
them to take advantage of the modern
it would cost for a Facebook account.
innovations that have changed our lives
When I told her that it's free, she looked
in significant ways.
sad. She explained that for years she's
It's never too late to start. To really
felt left out because she always hears her appreciate the wonders of our digital
family members talking about what they age, just buy an 80- or 90-year-old a
saw on Facebook and how everyone
new iPhone or iPad and watch as they
seems to know the latest gossip because
discover Siri.
of the social networking site. Had she
known it was free, she would have asked Rabbi Jason Miller, the technology expert
for the Detroit Jewish News, is president
for an account a long time ago, she rea-
of Access Computer Technology in West
soned.
Bloomfield. Follow him on Twitter at
Again, I felt deep regret. Why hadn't
®RabbiJason.
I thought to set her up with a Facebook
account earlier? Had I assumed she

❑

Women and Change
Event Set March 8
In honor of International Women's
Day on Sunday, March 8, three local
organizations will present "Women
and Change," an event focused on pre-
senting skills that will lead to a better
understanding of money management
and finance.
Keynote speaker will be Bridgit
Chayt, executive vice president and
director of treasury management and
business deposit services for Comerica
Bank, headquartered in Dallas.
Breakout sessions will focus on dif-
ferent aspects of money management:
choosing a financial planner, long-term
health care, negotiating a salary, paying
down debt, planning for retirement,
divorce and investment portfolios.
Participants are asked to collect
spare change from their change jars
to donate. All event proceeds will be
given to the National Council of Jewish
Women, Greater Detroit Section's
Luggage for Freedom program (provid-
ing essentials for women transitioning
from a shelter to their own home)
and SAFE (Sisters Acquiring Financial
Empowerment).
WISDOM (Women's Interfaith
Solutions for Dialogue and Outreach in
Metro Detroit) and the Race Relations
& Diversity Task Force, a sponsored
group of Birmingham's Community
House, are cosponsors with NCJW.
The event is from 2-5 p.m. Sunday,
March 8, at the Community House,
380 S. Bates St., Birmingham. Cost is
$10. To make your reservation with
payment, mail a check made payable to
NCJW/Greater Detroit, 26400 Lahser
Road, Suite 306, Southfield, MI 48033,
pay online at www.ncjwgds.org or call
the NCJW office at (248) 355-3300,
ext 0 to pay by credit card. Register by
Thursday, March 5. Open to men and
women.

JVS Seeks Volunteers
For Activities Program
JVS is seeking adult volunteers for the
agency's Activities Program. The year-
round day program based at the Jewish
Community Center in West Bloomfield
provides enriching activities and expe-
riences for adults with developmental
disabilities and other special needs.
Volunteers interact with participants
and assist staff during outings, exercise
programs, cooking classes, art and
other activities. Volunteers are needed
8 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays, with flexible
options to schedule times that work
best for the volunteers.
Those interested can contact Dina
Rudashevski at (248) 661-8100 or
drudashevski@jvsdet.org .

