How to teach a 64 year old to use an iPhone?
My father's finally going to be an internet user as of Tuesday when we go to get his new iPhone.
He's 64 years old, his sum total experience with computers is 20 minutes I spent explaining how a mouse worked and showing him how to control the cursor on a desktop. He also had a Samsung Galaxy ACE II briefly but had no idea how to use it. I'd call him and he wouldn't pick up because he didn't know how.
To him, an iPhone is like alien technology.
He's never even sent a text before.
On Tuesday we are getting him an iPhone with a data plan, because he wants to be able to WhatsApp with his cousin in Uruguay, and go online, and read newspapers, and watch videos, and email, and so forth. I might even be able to convince him to get on Facebook.
My plan is to convince him to get to the store with me bright and early (it's a 10 minute walk for him but a 70 minute train/streetcar trip for me) so we can spend a few hours sitting down together going over how the phone works.
I have a feeling that the way I explained iOS to my mother, who was already familiar with how an operating system worked and what it was, is not going to work with my father. Being as I have aspergers I'm not a great teacher in the first place and I'm even worse at adapting the way I explain things to fit people's needs.
What suggestions do you guys have as to teaching methods, analogies, metaphors, etc I could use to explain everything to him? What do I make sure to include? What do I leave out? I almost never see my Dad so I have to get him functionally able to use the phone in a single sitting. I don't have the time, and he doesn't have enough hard disk space in his brain, to go over absolutely everything- every option in settings, everything about itunes and app store, how to tag your friends in facebook... I mean, there are literally like 300 hours worth of material I'd have to go through to get him fully up to speed on all the things the iPhone is capable of. So, if I have like 2 hours, what do I teach him? How do I teach it to him?
I should add that he's very easily frustrated and has a temper.
Thanks in advance!
I think let him play with it. There's nothing one can really do wrong when it comes to an iPhone. There are plenty of how-to's on the internet if you google 'iPhone for seniors' maybe those would help more than trying to 'teach' him. These options would let him learn the basics, and you could help with the more advanced stuff.
64 really isn't all that senior, so I am not sure whether or not watching something for seniors would irritate him (I imagine it will me when I'm 64). The older I get the older 'senior' is to me, though. You could find online walkthroughs for 'dummies' or 'new users' etc., that might help.
I can tend to be overwhelming when I try to 'teach' anybody anything, include my son and we home ed, so have had to learn how to do one thing at a time and remember others don't get things like I do and don't necessarily need to know everything in the quick way that I might. (I tend to get really focused on learning all about a thing and do it quickly when interested, not everyone learns that way.)
Maybe the first thing to show him is how to find a how to guide for the phone. You could also consider typing and printing out some basic instructions so he is functional with the phone quickly, then go over them with him.
BirdInFlight
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Aim for the most basic needs first -- the most simple yet the most vital stuff like how to make a call, and how to answer a call. That's all you need to start with. Sit next to him and have him enter your number and call your phone. Then call his phone and have him answer.
Then go to how to make and receive/open a text.
Then go into basic entering of contacts into the phone, and how to edit names and info etc.
The move onto the video calling or whatever is next that he wants to use.
Just take it step by step starting with the most simple need/use/function first. A couple of years ago I knew a 90 year old woman who had grasped how to use her Apple laptop and was e-mailing and web surfing like a young'un. She was 90!
64 is not that old, so he should be fine grasping the information.
Then go to how to make and receive/open a text.
Then go into basic entering of contacts into the phone, and how to edit names and info etc.
The move onto the video calling or whatever is next that he wants to use.
Just take it step by step starting with the most simple need/use/function first. A couple of years ago I knew a 90 year old woman who had grasped how to use her Apple laptop and was e-mailing and web surfing like a young'un. She was 90!
64 is not that old, so he should be fine grasping the information.
That sounds like a good progression of lessons. Thank you for your input

Picking up the iPhone has been delayed until tomorrow because he wasn't feeling well today.
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