CyberSmarts For Seniors: Interview with Marretta Warianko

Our CyberSmarts for Seniors Project provided older adults with guidance in using mobile devices and computers to navigate the Internet confidently and safely. Here, Marretta Warianko, one of the participants, discusses her journey of coping with feelings of anxiety about modern technology, finding joy in sharing nature photos with her community group, and why learning about computers has made her life both easier and more enjoyable.

Transcript:

 My name is Marretta Warianko. 

Interviewer: When you were in your working years, how much did you use computers? 

I've used them a lot, actually, but not as advanced as it is now. It was just on WordPerfect, it was then called Lotus, I think, but that was it. It was Excel after, but I started with Lotus and ended with Excel. That's still 25 years ago.

Interviewer: So, what made you decide to be part of the CyberSmarts for Seniors?

The computer process now is much more complicated. I felt that I was more anxious using it. I wanted to feel more comfortable. 

Interviewer: Who would help you with your computer if you had any problems?

A while ago, it was old friends that knew computers if I was having trouble, or they had to download something that I couldn't, or to set up. It would have been friends here in Elliot Lake. They are now well older now. That was part of the reason that I kept on pushing, even asking about this course.

Interviewer: What would you tell other seniors who are afraid of using smartphones or computers?

That’s a difficult question because we are now being forced to use smartphones and computers, and there's a lot of seniors that have absolutely no conception of a computer, and it would be very difficult for them even with this course. This course actually is advanced, to my mind. I, I would totally understand them, and actually would try and fight for them, that they don't have to use it, if that were possible.

What is my favourite thing to do on my phone or computer now? Now, it's mostly work, and not necessarily paid work. I, I enjoy being on the computer. I enjoy having my group that I can share the pictures with, and some, you know, city information or anything like that. I do play some games. I, I think I enjoy that the most.

On, on the group, there, there are people that send me pictures. They've been sending me pictures now of, of the, let's say, the Harvest Moon and all the other types of moons. They take pictures of nature, of, of what they've seen along their walks, and I forward it to — I think I have about 125 to 150 people in the group list, and they enjoy getting it. It's not as much as before, but we still have people sending me pictures, some sort of rare sightings as well. 

How has technology made my life easier in any way? Because I am forced to use technology, it's made it a lot easier. You don't have arguments with companies, because you're, you're forced to use your computer. It has made it easier, but it has made it also very complicated as well.

Interviewer: What are some things that are easier? 

Buying things online, banking, information. You can get information readily. I still use Google. Yeah, getting information, actually, it's like an encyclopedia. You don't have to have the books, you just go online. And, it, it's actually quite fun.

Interviewer: Do you remember the first mobile phone that you had and how it was different to the smartphones that we have today?

The first mobile phone I had… it was a pay-as-you-go. It didn't even compare to what you have now. You just used it, or I just used it for phone calling. The first, initial mobile phone after that had minimal, in comparison to what you can do now. I mean, there's, there's just everything on the cell phone. It's, it’s wide open. 

How do I feel about today’s smartphone? I feel safer with my computer than I do on the cell phone. I still have more to learn on the cell phone, and how to protect it. So, I try to do as little as possible on the cell phone.

Have I received any suspicious phone calls, or texts, or emails? Phone calls — I have received. Texts – I don't go into anything that looks the littlest bit suspicious. And phone calls, definitely, but I don't pick it up. I don't pick up my phone unless there's a name on it, or I'm familiar with the phone number. 

What words of caution would I share with other seniors that receive suspicious phone calls, texts or emails? Don't open them. It's about the only thing. On the phone, what I learned here is not even to talk because they record your voice, which was very important because one of the phone calls that I got was my son's voice exactly, but it wasn't my son. Luckily, I didn't fall for it. Don't answer the phone. Don't open up the email. Delete it. Put it in spam.  And, just don't even go near it.  

What motivates me to keep learning? You really don't have a choice when you're on computers, because it's constantly changing, it's constantly improving. There are people out there that are smarter than you, as far as getting into your computer and your smartphone. 

My phone, I use as little as possible. My computer is, is where I do all the work, and I want to continue learning about it, because actually, it, it's quite fun. It's quite fun to know, and then I'm not as anxious.

Interviewer: Is there any final word that you want to share?

Actually, what I want to say is really thank you Golden Voices for giving this opportunity to seniors. Specifically, it was without charge. I know that may not sound important, but there's a lot of seniors that are on fixed incomes. I have really gotten a lot from this course. I would recommend that anyone that goes on Golden Voices to open up any of the YouTube, or the classes of learning on the computer, simply because it will make their life so much easier.

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This resource is part of the CyberSmarts for Seniors Project, funded in part by the Government of Canada’s
New Horizons for Seniors Program and ELNOS, and delivered in Elliot Lake by Raknas Inc. and Golden Voices, the seniors-focused division of the DiversityCanada Foundation.

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