Are You Your Parents’ Tech Support?

At first, you may have taken pride in your newfound tech superiority! Afterall, you were learning to use personal computers for the first time at school and spent your weekends learning BASIC V2.0 to program your Commodore64.

But now, the amount of technology we use in our everyday lives has exploded. Smart technology is available for nearly every inch of the home, from the doorbell that sends alerts to your phone to the television that requires three different remotes and a streaming subscription to navigate.

We know that older adults are the fastest-growing group of people to integrate these technologies into their daily lives. AARP reports that on average, adults 50 and over use 14 digital services and 10 different apps in the span of three months. Their rapid adoption of new technology is commendable, but not without its challenges. When something goes wrong, or when a password is forgotten, or when a suspicious email arrives and panic sets in, there’s often one person who gets the call: their tech-savvy adult children. What began as the occasional favor can sometimes turn into an unpaid, around-the-clock support role.

Walking a parent through resetting a password for the fourth time this month, while juggling a job, kids, and a life of your own, takes a toll that’s hard to explain without feeling like a terrible person for even admitting it.

The good news is that with a little upfront effort, it’s possible to build some guardrails that will keep your parents safe online, help build their tech confidence, and take some support tasks off you.

Start with a password manager. This alone can eliminate an enormous category of tech support calls. Set it up for them, walk them through it once, and make sure you have access to the master password in case of emergency.

Set up automatic updates. Go into their devices and turn on automatic updates for the operating system and apps. It’s a five-minute fix that can prevent a long list of future headaches.

Create a simple cheat sheet. It sounds old-fashioned, but a laminated sheet of paper near the computer listing the steps common tasks can answer a lot of questions before they become phone calls.

Set up remote access software. Tools such as TeamViewer or Google Remote Desktop allow you to see and control your parent’s computer from anywhere. That way, you can simply take the wheel and fix the problem yourself in a fraction of the time.

Make their inbox safer. Help them set up email filters that automatically sort newsletters and promotional mail out of their main inbox, reducing the clutter that often leads to confusion. Enable spam filtering, and take a few minutes to walk them through the golden rules of email safety: Don’t click unexpected links, don’t give out personal information, and when in doubt, call you before doing anything.

Consider a simplified device. For some parents, a standard smartphone or laptop may simply be more than they need or can comfortably manage. Tablets with simplified interfaces, or even devices designed specifically for older adults, can reduce complexity.

Schedule a regular tech check-in. Rather than being available for tech emergencies at all hours, try proposing a standing weekly call dedicated specifically to tech questions. This gives your parent a predictable window to bring their questions and concerns, and it gives you the ability to mentally prepare and set a boundary.

None of these solutions are perfect, and there will still be moments that require your patience and your time. But building even a few of these systems can help your parents feel more confident and self-sufficient with their technology.