Teaching someone how to use the basics of Gmail

wigster · 20 Jul 2024 at 10:20

I know a elderly person who wants to learn the basics of sending emails and deleting etc.. Problem is he has no devices not even a mobile phone, He goes into a library once a week to get help using Gmail, I was thinking maybe writing out some instructions but I find for this sort of thing you really need to practice. what would you suggest for a elderly person to learn?

I know Gmail has good clear instructions, that would be helpful if he had a device at home.

something daft already!! · 20 Jul 2024 at 10:24

Go to the library with him and show him, then also write it down, step by step.

wigster · 20 Jul 2024 at 11:05

something daft already!! said:
Go to the library with him and show him, then also write it down, step by step.

I think that's what the library staff do, at the moment I can't go with him due to work commitments. Maybe I should write it down myself and give it to him to see if my instructions are easier to understand.

PaulM · 20 Jul 2024 at 11:20

When I taught my grandad I always got him to write his own instructions while I slowly showed him, then had him do it a few times following his instructions while I was watching. Occasionally he needed a refresher but most of the time after that he could allow along his own instructions, it seemed to work much better than me writing instructions for him.

Do you have a laptop you could show him on instead of going to the library with him if time is tight?

Caged · 20 Jul 2024 at 11:39

The biggest thing to find a resolution for is how to handle multi-factor authentication with no phone. You'll want to ensure all the recovery emails and phone numbers are set up correctly for a family member or someone who can help get into the account, and your MFA method probably wants to be two Yubikeys or similar - one that he uses to log in at the library and the other that stays with a trusted person. This then depends on the library PC having functional USB ports.

wigster · 20 Jul 2024 at 11:59

PaulM said:
When I taught my grandad I always got him to write his own instructions while I slowly showed him, then had him do it a few times following his instructions while I was watching. Occasionally he needed a refresher but most of the time after that he could allow along his own instructions, it seemed to work much better than me writing instructions for him.

Do you have a laptop you could show him on instead of going to the library with him if time is tight?

Yes that is a good idea for him to write it down himself that might help him, I have a laptop but we aren't in the same area so it makes it more difficult, It's someone I got to know by chance during lunch break lol I will suggest writing it down himself then I will try to make time to see him if he still cant get a grip with it.

Caged said:
The biggest thing to find a resolution for is how to handle multi-factor authentication with no phone. You'll want to ensure all the recovery emails and phone numbers are set up correctly for a family member or someone who can help get into the account, and your MFA method probably wants to be two Yubikeys or similar - one that he uses to log in at the library and the other that stays with a trusted person. This then depends on the library PC having functional USB ports.

Yes this is another issue I have been thinking about, he has said he wants to shop online at the moment I said take small steps first, in the future he is going to have to think about a phone. He is more worried about safety of emails if he can trust the likes of Google.