The owners want to repay kindness shown to them by the community in Cathays
ELDERLY people in Cathays are being offered free tech help to get to grips with their mobile phones.
Newly-reopened iPhoneFixed, on Crwys Road, is holding tech support mornings every Thursday, offering help with common problems that elderly people often struggle with.
“Sometimes they just come in because they forgot their password. Other times, it’s because of the software updates, which they’re not really familiar with,” said co-owner Tian Yao Wong, 36.
“We also help people save precious photos of their family members.”
Tian Yao Wong and his co-owner and wife Mengxing Zhou were inspired by the treatment they received from members of their church, who helped them to settle in after they emigrated from Shanghai.
“We have had a lot of support from the community, especially from older people, and we realised that sometimes they’re not very familiar with new devices.
“So, we said it’s time we do something to pay back the community, and we said we’d help them for free.”
“When I first came here, I was scared because English is a totally different language to mine,” said Mengxing Zhou, 35.
“The elderly people in Highfields Church would run a course for us. They were very patient with us, and as time goes by, they’re getting old and devices are developing faster, so they’re now the ones that need help.”
Workshops like the ones hosted by iPhoneFixed are becoming more common, as elderly people try to adapt to the constant developments in technology.
A study by Age UK found that 20% of people aged 65 and over don’t have the skills required to thrive in a digital society in day-to-day life.
The study also found that over 2.3 million people aged 65 and over don’t use the internet at all.
Cardiff Council hosts several digital workshops in hubs across the city, offering help with setting up new devices and contacting family online.
“My main concern with the workshops is that they aren’t advertised that well, and it can be hard to find somewhere that can help with your specific device.
“Elderly people just need helpful, patient people to explain what’s happening,” said Ms Zhou.
- iPhoneFixed’s free tech support sessions are held every Thursday morning.
