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Thu 28 Dec, 2006 05:30 pm
My Mom is getting old, she has lost her husband of many years (my Dad) and she just spent over 1.5 hours on the phone with me, while I got her RCA universal remote to engage the TV again.
It turned out she accidentally entered a new code for the TV, but what took so long is I had to find the manual via Goggle, and then walk her though it about 20 - 30 times while she reminisced about happier days.
I went though years of this with my genetic Mom (now deceased) and I am now going through it again with my step Mom (I feel close to her so I call her Mom also).
The remote control is more symbolic than actual, but the call for attention and comfort is as real as ever.
In fact had I not been able to get it going over the phone, it looked like I would have had to drive there and back, thus on the road for three hours, plus the 1.5 hours on the phone, plus the visitation time. She was getting that flummoxed and upset about the "ordeal".
I don't nessiarily begrudge her (or anyone else) when these situations arise, but I can't say I look forward to them either. It has become more intense as of the last year when my Wife suggested my Mom call us every day to ensure she is OK.
It seems older females oftentimes have a negative viewpoint of technology in general as witnessed by my Wife who can easily do lots of things, but when it comes to using a TV remote (for example) she still has not understood the implications of the TV / VCR button.
Sometimes I think the discrete constraints of technology are an anathema to them and/or it's conditioning for an attention garnering method.
Chumley--
As a mechanically minded girl child, I was discouraged from exploring electronics and home repair.
Mr. Noddy's health is not good and I'm starting to take minor steps in acquiring the expertise for Widowhood 101.
Needs must when the devil drives.
Noddy24 wrote:....acquiring the expertise for Widowhood 101.
Yipes,
That's a slant on it I would not usually entertai!
Are you going to master the day to day tech, give it up for gone, or get help and attention like my Mom?
I qualify as older and as a woman. I haven't changed much re technology. I've always known what I needed to know, usually from the doing as opposed to hearing directions, and rarely more than I needed to know. I used to be a laboratory supervisor, oh, say, for fifteen years... but even then, I didn't scour the possibilities of technology in different articles. I was more interested in the biochemistry/ immunology of what was going on.
Same with me and my computer now - it does what works for me. I don't go exploring all that much re what aren't my interests.
I'm a little regressive, in that, like many older architects and landscape architects, I still like hand drafting, and have seen enough skewed cadd stuff to make me relaxed about that. Last big project we did, the engineers got a tech to cadd it.
I divide folks not so much into women and men, as into people who have done home fix up, or car fix up, or garden building, themselves or hired everything out. I know plenty of men who don't know how to caulk.
I've actually rebuilt my garage, three walls and beams and hanging windows and doors, by myself... except that I am chickenshit about electricity and had help on that.
So... I'd add at least some older men on to your question there.
ossobuco wrote:I know plenty of men who don't know how to caulk.
Pity that! (predictable I know)
Chumly--
I'm learning whatever I can. Asking for help is less of an imposition if I can ask infrequently.
Once I get used to the ball point pen I'll learn to caulk.
<snort>
We have other uses for you...
I've always counted on that.
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