My mom has trouble keeping the tires on her minivan properly inflated, partly because she persistently side-swipes curbs partly because she's often hyperfocusedly upset about shit instead of being focused on her driving. I think she has some sort of mood disorder. It wouldn't be surprising if she did, given that both her children have been diagnosed as bipolar.
So anyway, I was visiting her, and I told her one of her tires looked completely flat, and she said she checks it with this pump that has a built in tire pressure gauge. Well it was one of those electric pumps that has a cheap gauge that isn't really anything close to accurate, especially in the low PSI range that a car tire takes. Something you find for sale in Big Lots that's so crappy that no even semi-reputable place would sell it.
So I got her a tire gauge when we were at walmart for a few bucks. She was completely unable to use it, because she lacked the coordination necessary to apply the gauge to the valve stem correctly. She applied it crooked, so each time all that would happen is a bunch of air would hiss out. The reason she lacked the needed coordination is that she immediately became extremely pissed off, she cursed the society which would foist such technology on it's members, and refused to attempt to master it. I'm sure if she weren't pissed off, was calm, and tried it a few times, she could probably master it easily. She doesn't lack physical strength, doesn't lack hand eye coordination, she is getting on in years a bit, but she routinely engages in all manner of do-it-yourself stuff, so, I mean, I don't think that using a standard tire gauge would be beyond her level of capability.
My mom is totally senile in the sense that she can't remember the difference between a router and a modem for more than 2 seconds, and can't even begin to grasp the architecture of the computer (such as the abstract conceptualization that would be necessary to know the difference between when and where to enter one's OS login password versus when and where to enter one's e-mail password.) She just wants it to work, but of course, it never does, because she doesn't grasp any of this stuff. Yet she reads books on various non-fiction subjects and discusses them in her book clubs, she can follow complex political discussions, and so on. She's not stupid, yet, inexplicably, she's essentially senile in some respects...
She blames it on her age, but I don't think that's it. She's just senile, not because of her age, but because she has a fairly significant case of ADHD. Her senility has really strained our relationship, and has totally destroyed her relationship with my sister. This 'senility' as I call it has been there for as long as I can remember. Both my parents suffered from it, and as such, would routinely find themselves doing stuff like replacing the engines in their cars instead of checking the oil level now and again.
It's certainly annoying when my mom can't grasp concepts such as username/password, but of course this isn't a big deal in the general scheme of things. It's just, when this level of senility is applied to every aspect of the management of a social relationship with someone, that relationship tends to get strained over the years, to put it mildly, and in some cases, it breaks.
I'm currently pushing my mom to seek counseling. She's rather opposed to the idea of her seeking counseling, because there's no reason for her to seek counseling. It's the numerous people who don't get along with her who have the problem, not her.
So anyway, I relate all of this to say that while I do appreciate the need for tolerance of those who are technologically challenged, it may be in some cases that there is a veritable behavioral health disorder at work feeding the technological illiteracy.
ADHD combined with a mood disorder is some fucked up shit. I can see that as one starts to ebb into senility in one's old age, the ADHD and mood disorder would probably greatly accelerate the process, given that with ADHD & mood disorder you are essentially halfways to three quarters there already.
Asherdan is absolutely correct. And if there is an underlying behavioral health disorder which interferes with the process of mastering new technology, which impedes the patience and flexibility of mindset needed to grapple with and grasp new concepts, then that underlying behavioral health issue should be addressed to enable the mind to exercise it's self with as much vigor and variety as possible.
I've got no experience with geriatric psychology and counseling. Yet unfortunately this is a path down which I guess I must tread if I'm to rehabilitate both my relationship with my mom (and eventually perhaps her relationship with my sister) and also her relationship with technology.
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Topic: Family Tech Support (Read 10487 times)