The phone rings -
"The airconditioner's not working".
Okay, it may be fairly straightforward. Let's take a look at it. Take the phone with you, I'll talk you through it.
On the front of airconditioner box, there should be a panel that you can open.
"Yes... Oh yes, got it open...".
Okay, there should be a rectangular box, probably pale grey, set off to to one side, probably no more than 5 inch tall, with a switch that looks like a big circle set in it, and the circle has a diagonal line across it.
"Found it, it's got On and Off written at the top of it".
Okay, is it set to Off or On?
"It's pointing at Off".
Okay, turn it using that raised bit in the middle of the circle, over to the On position.
- Pause -
- Sound of airconditioner starting -
"Oh, I think it's working, now...".
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work these things out, but sometimes the technology that I take for granted can seem very new and frightening to people who didn't grow up with it.
The trick is to calmly talk them through it, don't make them feel like they're stupid for not understanding it, and if need be, clarify, possibly repeatedly.
Take them through it in a not too step by step way; enough information, but not too much information. I can always come back and clarify, if I need to.
And above all, don't let them feel stupid, or useless, or helpless in the face of something they find confusing.
When it's all over they'll say something along the lines of "You're so clever with these things", and I'll say, in a very laid back way, No, it's nothing, it's one of those things I've picked up as I've gone along.
If they don't understand something, getting exasperated with them or giving them the impression that I think they're stupid, isn't going to help either of us. They'll get flustered and defensive, and then I've got to deal with that, a well as whatever the original task was.
Keep this in mind - Old does not equate to dull witted. Frustrating, yes, at times. This is because they see the World a different way. The airconditioner is a technology from "my" world, why would I expect them to understand it?
Kindness, gentleness, patience, forbearance. Do what you can, you're only human, but if you can keep your head, then there's no need for there to be a crisis.
And in the end somebody feels like they matter, because somebody helped.
And I'm glad I didn't have to go out in the heat.
