Troubleshooting technology: Students 4 Seniors offers help with phones and other devices

Nora Francis, 60, couldn’t see the small font size for contact names. Separately, annoying icons kept popping up on her device’s screen.

At a recent information fair, Francis quickly turned over her smartphone to tech-savvy Ethan Merchant, 20, an employee of Spokane’s Students 4 Seniors. The new company matches college students with older adults who need tutoring to better understand and use their devices.

“This phone didn’t even come with instructions,” said Francis, who also was frustrated with how the device lost battery charge quickly.

Merchant took less than five minutes to explain some steps and make changes, including a larger font size for contacts.

“That’s good,” Francis told Merchant. “That was driving me crazy. I don’t have a landline, so I use it for everything.”

Students 4 Seniors offers one-on-one, $35 hourly sessions in homes, but the company gave free assistance during a Sept. 14 Senior Empowerment Fair at Clare View Seniors complex on the South Hill. That’s where Francis walked up to the information table manned by Merchant and his sister, Mariah Merchant, 23, who also works for the family business.

Ethan Merchant, who plans fall studies in computer science at Spokane Falls Community College, said people don’t always know where to look on their devices to make changes.

“There was a lot of bloatware on (Francis’) phone: extra, not-needed stuff,” he said. “It slows down your device and uses up your batteries.”

However, a question from 62-year-old Richard Paul did stump Merchant, who studied the cellphone with a furrowed brow. Paul said an Xfinity pop-up screen kept appearing near any free public Wi-Fi, although he isn’t a customer. Merchant pulled out his own cellphone for a quick Google search.

He suggested Paul try a total reset, or even a new SIM card. Paul seemed to appreciate the troubleshooting.

“I use a computer, but this is like advanced stuff, learning how to get rid of pop-ups,” Paul said.

Students 4 Seniors owner Angela Quadry said she started the business in May in part to help her son, Ethan Merchant, gain work experience. But she also thought about how her parents would anticipate help with devices during holiday visits.

“When my kids would go to their grandparents’ house, my parents would have all their devices lined up for them and ready,” Quadry said. “A lot of people are waiting for their kids or grandkids for help. For the youth, it’s more intuitive because they were born pushing buttons, playing games on devices.”

“It’s like learning a language; it’s harder for an adult to learn a foreign language than it is for a child.”

Quadry typically employs three to six college-age students, including some who attend Gonzaga University or Spokane Community College. The business doesn’t handle major tech issues or repairs.

“We’re technology tutors,” she said. “We want to help them answer questions about how they can use devices to their full capacity.”

Some customers need help with TV media, Quadry said, because technology and streaming capabilities have taken show viewing beyond simply turning on the television. Students can explain steps with Amazon TV, Netflix or Apple TV, and even how to record a program.

According to a Pew Research Center report, at least 77 percent of adults ages 65 and older have a cellphone. Despite gains though, seniors lag behind younger Americans when it comes to tech adoption. The center said about 41 percent of those older adults don’t use the internet, compared with 1 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds.

Increasingly, libraries are offering some technology tutoring as a free public service.

Spokane Public Library has started an Appy Hour Digital Support at branches. The free drop-in sessions offer help learning more about electronic devices, understanding a smartphone, building an online presence, gaining knowledge about programs, or downloading applications.

Spokane County Library District also has a similar “Book a Librarian,” for a free 30- to 45-minute session in a library branch or public setting. Librarians are trained to answer questions about common devices, Internet uses and technology.

Quadry said one goal of Students 4 Seniors is to help older adults get more out of devices to improve quality of life and remain independent. Those steps could include banking online, using a smartphone with verbal commands, and loading an app that gives reminders to take medicine.

Older Americans don’t tend to use smartphones and apps in the many ways they can, she said. Quadry gave other examples of check weather forecasts or finding directions to a destination.

“Many seniors are just using a smartphone as a phone, or to take a picture, but they’re not using them to their full advantage,” she said. “I don’t think they’re aware of what’s out there.”

Mariah Merchant, who also works as a certified nursing assistant, said her mother noticed that millennials are good at technology while many older people need help.

Older customers also have social media questions or other tech queries, she said. “A lot of seniors have issues with their TVs, using Facebook, and using Skype so they can interact with family.”

Quadry acknowledges that some older adults might avoid going online out of fear of scams or a website’s security.

“We’re not going to make them do something they’re not comfortable with, but we try to reassure them,” she said. “Banks put security measures in place to keep it safe, and lots of people are using them.”

Quadry said she never wants the cost of Students 4 Seniors’ tutoring to deter seniors from getting help, so customers can arrange for two to three people to split tutoring expenses. Its employees also go to senior events to offer free guidance.

Belle Campbell, 79, stopped by the recent senior fair to talk with the Merchants. She came armed with computer knowledge based on some technology gone bad.

“I just went through a bunch of problems with my computer; I had viruses, and spyware, and malware,” Campbell said. “I had it remotely cleaned.”

Campbell paid $199 for that service, but she feels comfortable enough with her tech knowledge to go online to order eyeglasses. She took a Students 4 Seniors business card to give to a friend.

“I think it’s great,” she said. “The younger ones have the more up-to-date computers and devices. They know what it takes.”