Senior adults, despite stereotypes to the contrary, are almost as likely as their younger counterparts to own and use technology such as smartphones, tablets and smart televisions.
According to AARP Research, 89% of those who are 50-plus have a smartphone, and 75% have a smart TV. While spending on tech showed an overall decrease in 2023, such purchases actually increased for adults in their 60s and 70s.
However, the study also showed that technical confidence was lower in older adults. For churches that want to market to senior adults, this is a key takeaway. Senior adults in your congregation are not necessarily resistant to technology, but they may need more assistance in using it.
Here are a few ways to communicate with the less tech-savvy members of your congregation.
Meet them where they are
If you want to market your church to seniors, you need to go where seniors go. This includes knowing where they are online. According to Pew Research, you can find adults ages 50 and older on almost every social media platform; however, you are more likely to find them on Facebook or YouTube. Concentrate online marketing efforts on those platforms.
Use traditional advertising to reach those who avoid communications technology or are less likely to be active on social media. Newspaper, radio, television and even billboard advertisements offer a great way to promote senior services and ministries.
Remember, not all seniors are proficient at using high-tech devices even when they have them. Therefore, automated calls and snail mail are great ways to bridge the divide between those who are techy and those who aren’t.
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General Conference in 2008 adopted legislation inviting congregations to celebrate Older Adult Recognition Day any Sunday during May. United Methodists are invited to show appreciation and support for older adults. One great way to do so is to connect older adults to technology and help them discover ministries, games, music apps and smartphones designed for seniors.
Read more: Bridging the digital divide: Connect seniors to technology
Success story: Ministry connects seniors with today’s tech
Teach them
Technology can help seniors stay connected, reduce isolation, sharpen their minds and provide valuable life assistance. Help seniors understand how it can help them and how they can engage with technology. Enlist the help of tech-savvy seniors, young people, or industry experts to teach them.
Consider these ideas:
- How to watch an online church service.
- How to find your church website and the services offered.
- How to access your online health portal.
- How to schedule online appointments.
- How to complete a door delivery or curbside pickup order.
- How to Facetime a friend or loved one.
- How to participate in a Zoom meeting.
- How to make or view a video.
- Where to find and how to access online spiritual resources.
- How to use technology to make your home safer.
- How to use technology to help you live healthier.
These topics can be explored in monthly tech classes or as short tutorials provided at the beginning of Sunday school or on screen before the Sunday service. Concentrate on one thing at a time with easy-to-follow steps to help them gain confidence in using the tools they already have. Provide printed how-to guides for future use.
Empower them
One of the primary reasons seniors don’t use technology is because they are afraid. Many older adults fear they may become a victim of an online scam. The AARP study mentioned earlier noted that nearly 75% of older Americans say they have been a target of cybercrime, a victim or know someone who has been.
Empower older congregants by talking about cybercrime with the intent to help them develop the knowledge and tools to make wise decisions.
Seniors may also be afraid of breaking their device. You can help by providing opportunities to “play around” on their devices without risk. During small-group or social gatherings, pair them with a more knowledgeable friend and give them an assignment.
For example, you can ask them to take a selfie and post it to the group’s private Facebook page. You can task them with using a search engine to find an article related to the topic of a lesson.
Have them explore the various settings and features of their phones or tablets with the assurance that their partner can “fix” anything that might go wrong.
Recruit a team of volunteers who can offer free “tech support” for seniors before or after church or at certain hours via phone during the week. Receiving help and instruction from a trusted friend can make new technology less intimidating.
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Be sensitive and patient
Don’t assume that everyone knows what you are talking about when you introduce or use technology in church.
For instance, after the COVID-19 shutdowns, a church decided not to resume its normal practice of printing bulletins. Instead, it created QR code stickers and put them on the back of the pews.
Every Sunday, the church leaders encouraged the congregation to access important information through the QR code. “Simply point your phone at the code and your phone will do the rest,” they said.
One parishioner tried several times, but nothing happened. Finally, she called the pastor and asked him. He said the same thing. She felt stupid because she couldn’t get it to work. Eventually, she discovered that her phone needed a special app to read QR codes. How many others in the congregation simply gave up?
The church is a place for people to learn and grow. Seniors are capable of learning and are often eager to do so. Don’t discount them. Use technology — or the lack thereof — as another opportunity to minister to the seniors in your congregation.
Tricia K. Brown is a Christian author and inspirational speaker. She shares stories of life, loss and laughter to encourage women to grow in their relationships with the Lord and each other. Her recent fiction release, “Seen, Heard, Beloved,” can be purchased on Amazon. For more information about her ministry and books, visit The Girls Get Together.