I just had an aha moment as to why my parents refuse to get cable TV... the remotes are too complicated. Even I get baffled and I am usually good at figuring things out. Back when my Dad worked at GE he designed one of the first remotes.. it was so simple.... TV on or off... volume up or down.... change channels [of course back then we had a grand total of 3 to 4 channels]. Now look at today's remotes.
Last year Mom got a new washing machine... whatever happened to just ON/OFF,Hot, Cold, Heavy Load, Light Load, Delicate... and that was it. This machine was so complicated even Dad, who is an engineer, wasn't sure how to do a simple load of wash... plus the letter on the machine was in light blue which looked pretty but it was tough for aging eyes to read.
When we get into our 90's, I wonder what technology will be like then... will we need to sit in the dark because we can't figure out how to turn on the lights in the living room using our telephone???
Today's young adults do not know how to make simple repairs, their solution is to pick up their I phone and call a repair person. This also includes my own three children now in their forties who were raised in a home where these skills were practiced daily. Technology is very important in our lives and as a senior I appreciate the fantastic advances in medical technology in particular, but I also appreciate the ability I have to mend a hole in my socks.
Many of those over 50 and/or cognitively impaired can navigate the new world technology if it is properly presented. The real problem is that instructions with new products are frequently poorly translated from far away countries in print so small an ant would need a magnifying glass.
Another problem recently encountered was an elevator and I still don't know what the letters actually mean. I know to press T if I want the lobby and that T1 and T2 are the two basement levels.
Apart from acrynoms there is a whole new language out there. We no longer have garbage men they are now sanitation engineers (without an increase in pay) Try finding X-ray in the hospital. It is now "Imaging" may seniors are perfectly capable of learning new technologies but many don't want to have to waste time on that. There are far more fulfilling ways of spending our time. Smelling the roses and watching the sunset come to mind.
It's funny, I find the power outage more difficult to deal with then my parents [90's].... they just go on like nothing happened. Dad gets out the battery operated lanterns, Mom prepares lunch/dinner using items that don't need cooking, etc. It's like they are back in the 1920's :)
Things changed when my wife began with Alz. we had being changhing m any things. As she has being evolving she just copuld not use the cell, nor the credit cards, just coud not remember the code and after some times going to the bank , I just "forgot" to give her one. The cell phones were another problem, she misplaced every where and we never find it, my solution was to re-install the wall type with nothing different, just the basic, and is working fine, I installed lines, simple lines and sockets where we use to have the cell ones and bought simple wall phones. Solved. Sam e with the washing machine, we bought a new one without any modernities. Simple. I am doing the same with everything, radio, tv, microwave, etc. for computing, she is using an old HP laptop for simple games like the basic Mahjong, and is happy. On tue other hand I discovered with the smartphones thast they are closer to the computers, and that I can have an app with a GPS that allows me to monitor her outside. A grand relieve!! So, I am having to learn to use a Galaxy. Thats is life!!!
Sounds like in your household a mix of simple old fashioned technology along with some modern technology is working. Your'wife is one step ahead of me, I can't use a laptop.... the keyboard is too awkward, I need a regular keyboard and Mouse.