Seniors turn to tech tutors to handle digital world and avoid scams

VICTORIA — A retired nurse in British Columbia is among a growing number of seniors turning to technology tutors to gain confidence with essential devices and avoid online scams.

Brenda Davis-White, 76, says her career as an operating room nurse did not involve much computer use. "My career and my life never gave me the opportunity to explore that," said Davis-White, who lives in Sidney, B.C. She said she got tired of asking family for help, which never seemed to come with a lot of enthusiasm, and decided to get some help herself.

She found Victoria Seniors Tech Tutor online and began working with tutor Gavin Koh. "He's very gentle and easy to work with and that's important," she said. Koh helped her with tasks like online banking and using a password manager.

READ MORE: Many parents rely on grandparents for financial help and childcare

READ MORE: Canada warns travellers to avoid parts of Mexico due to Hurricane Polo

"I feel like I'm not reaching out into the wilderness. I am very comfortable doing my banking and online purchases and spotting spam and I just feel way more confident," Davis-White said.

As devices become essential for daily life, tech classes for seniors have gained popularity. Koh, who charges $120 for a 1.5-hour in-home session in the Victoria area, says his clients often fall into three groups: those totally new to tech, newly retired people wanting to learn advanced tools, and a middle group who are simply frustrated.

"The most common thing that they say is, 'I never grew up with this. I had a job that either took care of it or we never used it. No one trained me and I had a family to raise,'" Koh said.

He says he often helps after clients have spent hours in futile customer service loops. "And then I come over, and because I'm in their physical presence and have access to their computer, it's 'click, click, click' and within twenty minutes everything is fixed," he said.

A significant part of Koh's work involves scam prevention. He estimates 30 per cent of his clients have been scammed, including one who held a senior legal role. He frequently sees fraudulent messages, like fake gift card scams, arrive during sessions.

"I want them to go away thinking, 'Oh, that wasn't as scary as I thought it was,'" Koh said of his clients' goals.

Emily Jones Joanisse, co-founder and CEO of the national digital inclusion charity Connected Canadians, says strained family dynamics often drive seniors to seek paid help. "Either they don't have children or grandchildren that can help them, or they realize that their relationship with their adult child is getting strained due to ongoing requests for tech support," said Jones Joanisse. "It's very much like when you're teaching your kids to drive. It's something that needs to be done, but you're not necessarily the person to do it."

Connected Canadians has nine employees and 900 trained volunteers providing free, one-on-one coaching and group workshops across the country. Lessons cover online banking, email, Zoom, social media and streaming.

Jones Joanisse says some seniors are "self-actualizing," using their retirement to pursue projects like writing a novel or selling art online. Others are learning after a tech-savvy partner has passed away. "They have their grief, and then this horrible worry of not knowing how to do things," she said.

A major focus is fostering human connection to reduce loneliness and isolation. "We want to make sure that every session that happens has moments of human connection," Jones Joanisse said.

She also believes ensuring seniors have tech skills honours their place in society. "It's so important to me that older adults are able to still contribute," she said.

With files from The Globe and Mail