I got a text from a client in her late 70s. We’ve worked together off and on for several months, mostly on her iPhone’s Google Calendar -- how to add events and set reminders.
From her text, I could tell she was a tad bit frantic. She said all the events and appointments she had on her calendar were missing. We made an appointment for the next day, Nov. 4, 2019 (remember that date).
I arrived at her house and her door was open. I called, “Hello!,” as I walked in. She was at her kitchen table. She handed me the phone. I took a quick look and handed it back to her.
“What do you see?,” I asked.
She gave it a quick glance. “Nothing’s there. All my appointments, classes, things I have to do are gone,” she answered.
“Let’s take a deep breath.” We did. “Start from the top and read down,” I said.
She looked a bit calmer and looked at her phone. After a moment, she looked up, smiled, and was a little embarrassed, “Oops. It says ‘Nov. 4, 2016’.”
She may have brushed her finger across the screen – we’ll never know – but she set her calendar back a few years. I showed her how to get back to 2019, where we found her appointments.
But that’s what I tell my clients. If you’re overwhelmed, frustrated, and don’t know what to do, take a deep breath. If that doesn’t work, talk a walk. Come back and look at your screen. Look around the edges for options, take your time. It’s usually easier than you think.
Nancy Spear
Nancy's Tech Help for Older Adults
310-365-9951 • info@nancys-tech-help.com • www.nancys-tech-help.com