Buying bus tickets, scheduling appointments with government agencies - much of it is now only possible online. Yet millions of people ages 60+ do not use the internet. Frauke Ben Rezeg from the Kaffee- und Technik-Treff in Hamburg provides support. Today, on the "Tag der älteren Menschen," we introduce her and her work for Seniorenakademie.
Dorothea Just picks up her smartphone and gives it another try. The 72-year-old is persistent: There has to be a way to transfer the photos from her South Africa vacation from her smartphone to her tablet. Today, she and her friend Elisabeth have come to the Coffee and Tech Meetup in downtown Hamburg. Every Monday at Europe's largest Telekom Store, Frauke Ben Rezeg and her colleague Florian (Flo) Ueberschaer share practical tips and tricks for digital life. Who is it for? People age 60 and over.
You can hear Frauke’s passion for the topic in every sentence she speaks. It’s contagious. And the participants—who range in age from 60 to 90—share that enthusiasm. “I want to keep up with these digital developments, learn new things, and not feel left behind digitally,” says Ingrid Brockmann. Like almost everyone else, the 71-year-old is not here for the first time. Staying connected digitally is important for her generation, but unfortunately, it is not a given for everyone. Even though more people over 60 use the internet regularly, nearly seven million of them are offline. That leaves them not only technologically but, increasingly, socially on the sidelines.
Digitalization now affects nearly every part of life, and older adults also need digital skills to navigate everyday life independently. Telekom helps them do just that. "We offer educational programs tailored to their needs," Frauke explains, whether through online seminars or in-person offerings. The 58-year-old has been working with the Seniorenakademie for a little over a year. In March, she took on responsibility for the content of the Coffee and Technology Meetup in the city on the Elbe. Since then, she has revamped the concept and designed ten sequential learning journeys. It has been well received. Even today, every seat in the seminar room is taken. In the course "Wir gehen zum Arzt," participants use Doctolib to book a doctor’s appointment, use a health insurance app, or order medication from "Apotheke vor Ort." In "Google weiß alles," Frauke and Flo show participants how to use the search engine efficiently, while "Hamburg - meine Perle" focuses on dealing with public authorities and using public transportation (since the beginning of the year, bus tickets in HH have only been available online! ). The sessions include plenty of practical tips because this Hamburg native shapes the content around the questions asked by interested "Best Ager."
Needs and prior knowledge vary. "Some have specific questions about Klarna, while others need me to show them how to turn on a tablet." Frauke first recommends that they attend a foundational seminar. This lack of digital know-how does not come out of nowhere: some participants have previously enrolled in adult education courses or similar programs. And had negative experiences. "Many did not dare to ask questions. And when they did, they were laughed at. What older people experience in this context sometimes borders on bullying," she says.
Tensions within families are not uncommon either: “Most of the time, an 84-year-old woman gets an old cell phone as a gift from her children. The thinking is, ‘Mom finally needs to have a smartphone.’ Then WhatsApp is quickly explained, and they say, ‘There you go, now we can chat in the family group.’ But it’s not that simple,” Frauke says. The relationship between parents and children adds another layer: “The woman who tied your shoelaces when you were a child can’t even use a smartphone?” That realization often seems difficult. “These are all accomplished people with a great deal of life experience, and now they have a device in their hands and don’t know how to turn it on.” This leads to frustration and reluctance.
Things are no better when buying a new device. “It may be set up in the store, but there is only so much the staff can do.” No one takes the time to sit down with them and say, “Feel along the side: there’s a large button and a small button. When you press them, the volume goes up and down.” Learning opportunities have improved in recent years, partly thanks to the nationwide Digitalpakt initiative. There are countless books and learning resources. But hands-on practice often falls short.
That's why regular interaction is so important. Today, 10 of the 11 (!) women and one man (of course, only there as "company" 😉) are taking part again. This builds trust. People get to know one another, and that's intentional. "The chatting is part of it," says Frauke. "We want to talk about the things that matter to them in everyday life." For example, syncing vacation photos. Dorothea and Elisabeth had already sent some to the group from their vacation: a photo greeting featuring Table Mountain and zebras—as a kind of self-test. They also brought a gift and a thank-you card.
And what about revenue? Frauke says it is secondary. “We’re not selling arthritis blankets here just because the program is free.” But when someone is due for a contract renewal, she naturally lets them know about Telekom’s offers. Often successfully. “Of course, they value the personal connection. And once their interest is sparked, older adults are also willing to invest in their new 'Hobby.' I once had a participant who showed up one day with a 900-euro phone—plus a power bank and more. She said to me, ‘You know, Frauke, sometimes you have to treat yourself.’ Isn’t that wonderful?”
Her easygoing, straightforward manner helps her. "I'm the one who sometimes gets things wrong," she candidly admits with a laugh. She shares in the participants' moments of success: "When you see that pride on their faces when something works. That's such a wonderful feeling." She also doesn't expect her work to end anytime soon: "The digital world is changing far too quickly for that," she says. Her latest learning journey is called: "AI - No Fear of the Future."
On the topic Digital Education special feature
Coffee and Tech Meetup in Hamburg
Workshops and seminars - online and in person
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