For some seniors, the ever-changing features of technology can be difficult to grasp. Yet, if your grandparents are highly independent then they may prefer full autonomy when it comes to their own technology, such as their PC.
By customizing the settings and features of your grandparents' computer or laptop, you can easily make it more accessible for them even when you’re not around to help.
Here are ways you can make your older relatives' computer more accessible to boost their sense of independence.
1. Make Sure the Basic Accessibility Features Are Set Up
One of the most importantways to set up your Windows PC for seniorsis to ensure that all basic accessibility features are set up and customized to suit your grandparents' needs.
Some of the accessibility features you should customize for your grandparents include:
You can alsoenable the Narrator function on Windowsso that your grandparents will receive an audio description of what is currently onscreen.
2. Create Desktop Shortcuts for Your Grandparents' Preferred Programs
This is a simple but important step. To make your grandparents' computer accessible for their specific needs, it’s a good idea to make sure the programs they use are easy to find. Therefore, add shortcuts to the desktop for just the programs they will use.
Removing any unwanted or unused desktop shortcuts will also reduce any confusion or your grandparents opening unwanted or unfamiliar programs by accident.
3. Rename Programs and Apps With an Accurate Description
There’s a high chance that your grandparents won’t associate “Chrome” with the internet, “Outlook” with their email service provider, or find it easy to differentiate between each visual icon. Brand names and icon designs of various programs will seem nonsensical to your elderly relatives, so it’s best to rename desktop icons to something more descriptive that they will understand.
You could either decide on new simple labels yourself (for example, change “Google Chrome” to “Internet Browser”.) Alternatively, ask your grandparents what they call each program and rename each shortcut icon as per your relative’s preference.
To change the name of program shortcuts, simply right-click each icon and either clickRenameor pressF2to enter a personalized label.
4. Set Up Email Filters to Avoid Message Overloads
If your grandparents value their autonomy and independence, they may enjoy or want to be in charge of their email accounts. However, as spam and junk emails are so common now, it’s a good idea to set up some email filters to reduce unnecessary items from confusing their inbox.
There are plenty ofhandy tools that can organize your emailsfor your grandparents. If you’d rather create some email filters yourself, you can follow these steps for Outlook:
Once inbox rules are set in Outlook, all new emails will be redirected to your chosen folder. This should declutter your grandparents' inbox and make it less confusing for them to access.
5. Enable Remote Desktop
Even with all your efforts to make your grandparents' computer as accessible as possible, it’s likely they’ll still run into difficulties. While they may attempt to explain to you what they see on their screen over the phone, enabling remote desktop access can make the fixing process much easier when you’re not around.
The best idea is to set upremote access softwareas soon as possible so that you may access and control their computer from your own PC or laptop. TeamViewer is a popular remote access program that you can install on Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, and more.
Download:TeamViewer(Free)
6. Write Basic Instructions in Word and Save the Files to Desktop
One way to empower your senior relative to take control of their computer is to give them some basic instructions that they can refer to at their disclosure. That way, they won’t need to call you up for advice or remote access any time they encounter PC issues.
An easy way to do this is to write up some basic instructions in their preferred document program (such as Word, Google Docs, or Notes if their PC is really old school!) and add a shortcut to the desktop. That way your grandparents will be able to preserve their sense of independence by troubleshooting and fixing their problems without your help.
7. Uninstall All Bloatware and Unnecessary Programs
Bloatware—or Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP)— are programs that you don’t want, that take up hardware space, and often slow down your computer. When it comes to your grandparents' computer, their bloatware is likely to come as pre-installed software. It’s unlikely that your grandparents will want or benefit from any bloatware, so it’s best to remove it for them.
Luckily, you caneasily remove bloatware from Windowsand other computers. Simply navigate toSettings > Apps >Installed appsto identify and uninstall any unwanted programs.
8. Disable Automatic Updates
While computer updates can be important when new versions are released, automatic updates can confuse, disrupt, or even worry senior family members. If they’re using an ancient piece of hardware or if their computer use is very basic, automatic updates might not even be necessary for them to use their PC for their intended purposes.
Instead, disable automatic updates by navigating toSettings > System > Windows Update > Pause for one weekto temporarily disable automatic updates. Select the drop-down arrow to change this toPause for 5 weeksto pause automatic updates for longer.
Make sure you manually check available updates and implement any appropriate changes when necessary when you visit your grandparents.
9. Create Templates for Letters
If your grandparents write letters or emails often, it can be useful for them to have a template with the correct formatting ready to use when needed. Being able to send correspondence—whether by post or electronically—can help preserve their sense of independence as they continue to handle their own affairs.
Consider creating letter templates in Word (or their preferred word processor) and save the document to the desktop so that they can easily access it. you may alsocreate email templates in Outlookand Gmail so that your elderly relative can just focus on the content of their messages on their computer without worrying about any technicalities.
Making Your Grandparents' Computer More Accessible Can Preserve Their Sense of Independence
Aging can be difficult for many reasons, but losing your sense of independence can have detrimental effects on your overall well-being and life outlook. By making your grandparents' computers highly accessible, you can empower them to be in charge of their technology. Plus, it’ll make your visits much more enjoyable, given that you’re not constantly fixing granny or grandpa’s PC.
