Society of Certified Senior Advisors: Personalized IT Support for Older Adults

When the last thing you want to do is spend eternity on the phone with a big company, ring up senior-friendly tech support instead.

If you’ve ever called the customer support line of a major tech company, you may understand why these business-specific helplines are dubbed “cold” tech support. It’s not that the staff aren’t trying to help you figure out why your internet isn’t working or why you’re locked out of your account. But at a huge company, how personalized can that assistance ever be?

And seniors in particular may have special hesitations about using technology, or may fear being judged for their level of digital literacy. Older people are also more likely to use adaptive settings on technologies to compensate for vision or hearing loss. When these issues are in play, calling a cold support line can be more an exercise in frustration than anything else.

Many people, including older adults, who seek out tech assistance prefer to talk with “warm” experts–that is, people who either already know them or already know about their particular needs. Warm tech support often comes from a younger family member. And while many adult “kids” are happy to help troubleshoot iPad, laptop, or home technology issues, relying on family isn’t always the best solution. In a study, seniors said they worried about being a burden when they asked family for tech support. And in a recent CSA Journal article, clinical informaticist and gerontologist Stephanie Latta shared the frustrations of some of her clients who feel they have no choice but to be their parent or relative’s personal IT expert; one client described the experience as “exhausting.” Another study found that not all warm experts are expert teachers, and that sometimes informal tech support from family can actually decrease digital learning among older adults.

So if cold experts aren’t the best help, and family members can’t always serve as the warm experts, where should people turn when they need personalized tech support at home? Reliable tech support isn’t a triviality. Especially today, when we bank and shop online, increasingly use telehealth, and live in smart homes, technology can mean, for some, the difference between aging in place and needing to move.

Businesses have stepped into this niche: providing tech support tailored to the common needs of seniors and to each client’s current level of technological literacy. Here are some top companies, their support services, and their pricing structure.

Quincy

With the tagline, “Tech support for non-techies,” Quincy was created by college students at Columbia University. Having provided warm expertise to their grandparents for years, the founders saw the need for a more reliable tech support solution. According to the founders, “Quincy is our love letter to the generations of people who have supported our development and growth.” They offer live, online-only tech support with issues including password management, email setup, and “any internet connected device, service, or application.”

Quincy offers some free support: there’s no credit card required to sign up for 14 minutes of free live tech support each month. If you want more in-depth assistance, you can also sign up for a one-time support session for $34.99, or subscribe to unlimited online tech support for $18.99/month.

Candoo Tech

Candoo Tech, a Public Benefit Corp, provides technology support and training for older adults. Their online tech support includes device setup, troubleshooting, and personalized lessons. Email, video calling, and social media are all fair game. They offer one-on-one virtual sessions, a library of guides and videos, and group lessons.

As a large nationwide company, Candoo Tech partners with organizations like continuing care communities as well as with individuals. For an individual who needs help with a tech issue as soon as possible, they offer hour-long tech support sessions for between $75 and $90. For $19/month, subscribers get an introductory 90-minute session, unlimited “Quick Support” from a Tech Concierge, and access to the online how-to video library.

For a list of the tech that Candoo Tech supports, check out their website.

HelloTech

HelloTech provides both in-home and online support for every piece of tech in your home. They take care of both hardware and software problems: from mounting a TV on your wall to setting up your new smartphone. They help with home security systems, WiFi networks, printers, and mobile devices.

HelloTech doesn’t specifically advertise to older adults, and we can’t vouch for how the company trains its technicians to work with seniors. But judging from their business model, they’re attuned to the many ways that modern technology frustrates its users, and they offer support to people with varying levels of tech experience and confidence. Some of their recent blog articles include: “Ring Video Doorbell Settings You Should Change,” “What is a Fire Stick and How Does It Work?”, and “What To Do When Siri is Not Working on Your iPhone.” Their technicians help with all these issues.

Interestingly, HelloTech also offers “Around the Home” services including yard care, holiday light hanging, and furniture assembly. While they don’t state it explicitly, part of their mission seems to be to support customers with limited mobility.

Memberships start at $4.17/month for 24/7 online-only support, and $16.58/month gets you home visits for their wide variety of services at $69/visit. They also offer a la carte in-home services.

More Ways to Level Up Your Tech Skills

Quincy, Candoo Tech, and HelloTech all provide targeted tech support when you’re having a moment of frustration. For the in-between times, when you’re just curious to learn more about how to make the most of your computer, phone, or tablet, other organizations offer classes and tutoring with older adults in mind. Here are a few:

OATS from AARP: Older Adults Technology Service operates Senior Planet locations and provides a wealth of online resources to support seniors in living better in the digital age.
Cyber-Seniors: This non-profit links trained youth volunteers with older adults for free online tech lessons.
GetSetUp: “Live classes for older adults, by older adults,” on a wide range of tech topics (plus cooking, lifestyle, and travel classes, too).
Local Area Agencies on Aging and public libraries: Don’t forget to look locally for in-person technology classes in your community.