Keeping Victoria’s Seniors Connected One Conversation at a Time with Seniors Tech Support

A few years ago, I visited my grandmother after not seeing her for a long time. My mom had given her an iPad so she could stay connected with family through technology, but when I arrived, the device was sitting untouched on a table in her living room. She wanted to use it.

She wanted to see her family more often.

But every button felt confusing. The text was hard to read. The settings felt overwhelming. So, the iPad simply stayed there, unused, while she quietly carried on without it.

Over the next few days, I sat beside her and helped her slowly, one step at a time. We practiced answering calls, adjusting the volume, opening photos, and learning how everything worked together.

Then came her very first FaceTime call with my brother.

I still remember watching her face light up the moment his face appeared on the screen. As they spoke, a tear slowly rolled down her eye.

It was not because of the technology itself.

It was because, in that moment, she no longer felt far away from the people she loved.

That experience stayed with me long after I returned home to Victoria.

It made me realize something important: technology is not really about phones, tablets, or computers. It is about connection. It is about grandparents watching birthday candles being blown out from miles away. It is about hearing a familiar voice at the end of a long day. It is about helping people feel included, independent, and close to their families.

But when I returned home, I began noticing how many seniors in our own community were quietly struggling with technology every day. Not because they were unwilling to learn.

Not because they could not understand it.

But because modern technology often moves too fast and rarely slows down for people.

I met seniors who felt nervous every time their phone updated overnight because suddenly everything looked different. I met grandparents who kept handwritten passwords on sticky notes beside the computer because they were afraid of forgetting them. I met people who simply wanted to print a document, answer a video call, or send a photo to family, but felt embarrassed asking for help.

Many parents and grandparents stay quiet when technology becomes frustrating because they do not want to feel like a burden to their busy families.

So instead, the tablet sits untouched on the kitchen table.

The printer stays disconnected. The confusing notification gets ignored.

And little by little, technology starts feeling less like a tool for connection and more like a source of stress.

That is what inspired me to start Seniors Tech Support Victoria.

I wanted to create something different from the rushed experiences many seniors had grown used to. I wanted technology help to feel calm, patient, and personal. No technical jargon. No pressure. No feeling rushed through a conversation.

Just patient help in plain language.

As I began helping more seniors across Greater Victoria, another pattern started to appear.

Many seniors were faithfully paying the same internet or phone bills for years without realizing how much plans and pricing had changed over time. Some were spending hundreds of dollars more every year than they needed to, simply because nobody had ever taken the time to sit down and review things with them.

Trying to understand these bills often became overwhelming. Long hold times, automated menus, transfers between departments, and technical language left many people feeling exhausted before they could even get answers.

So, I decided to start reviewing internet and phone bills for free as part of my service.

Over time, I also partnered with one of the large telecom providers so I could directly help my clients lower their bills and avoid the stress of navigating complicated customer service systems on their own.

For many families, that simple support has brought enormous peace of mind.

But the most meaningful part of this work is not fixing devices or reducing bills.

It is watching confidence return.

Sometimes that confidence looks like a grandmother proudly answering her own FaceTime calls for the first time.

Sometimes it looks like a senior finally feeling comfortable enough to send photos to family.

Sometimes it is simply hearing someone say, “Oh thank goodness,” after struggling with something alone for weeks. I often remind seniors there is no such thing as a silly question.

Sometimes all it takes is sitting beside someone patiently and walking through things together one step at a time.

I can come directly to someone’s home or help over the phone, depending on what feels most comfortable. The goal is never just to “fix technology.” The goal is to help people feel confident, connected, and independent again.

Victoria has always been a community that looks out for one another, and I believe that matters now more than ever.

Many seniors struggle quietly behind closed doors because they do not want to inconvenience anyone. A confusing phone update, an overwhelming monthly bill, or difficulty connecting with loved ones can slowly become isolating.

If you are reading this, I encourage you to think about the seniors in your life.

A parent, A grandparent.

A neighbor, A family friend.

Someone who may be struggling more quietly than they let on.

If this story reminded you of someone you care about, I hope you will share it with them. Sometimes one small conversation or one helping hand can make someone feel connected to the world again.

Technology should bring families closer together, not push them apart.

That is why I started Seniors Tech Support Victoria, and it is a privilege to continue serving seniors and families across our community every day.

If you or someone you love needs a patient hand with their technology, let’s chat.

Jason Shejale
Seniors Tech Support Victoria
250-266-6868
www.seniorstechsupport.ca

Our goal is to fill the gap seniors have with changing technolo