Hey Siri, can you give me the weather forecast for today? Alexa, remind me to pick up milk at the store tomorrow at 10 a.m.

As most people cruise along using the technological superhighway, there is a whole generation that has missed the bus. It is due to several factors, but primarily it comes down to bad timing.

Although invented much earlier, the internet became mainstream in households in the late 1990’s/early 2000s. At this point many of today’s senior citizens were at or near retirement. They were reaching what was supposed to be their “expert years” in society, but, the digital age was re-norming that society and their status as experts was compromised along with it.

From the time we are born learning is mandatory. That continues through adulthood as our careers demand we learn as well. For the vast majority, we learned how to use the internet and technology through formal education or work experience. As technology grew. we grew right along with it.

For those that were nearing the end of the their career or already completely finished, the insistence and pressure to learn diminished. They came to know what they needed to know, so learning new things became optional.

However, there was a catch. The rate at which this technology advanced was like nothing ever seen before in history and if you didn’t latch on early, good luck jumping in later on. It probably seemed to most seniors as an incredibly daunting task, and, to many others, an unfair one at that.

They had earned their stripes and navigated through some of the most tumultuous times our country had ever seen and come out on the other side better than they were before. Sure there were new technological advancements along the way, but most were just variations on old themes. The TV? That was like a movie theater in your home. The microwave? Just another form of an oven.

The internet, though, and all its associated gadgets and processes, left most feeling confounded yet awestruck. As a 2017 study from the Pew Research Center found, about one third of Americans 65 and over do not use the internet at all, and among those who use it, another third of them report a lack of confidence when they do.

That’s not to say that everyone was left in the dark. Depending on individual circumstances, some in the “digital immigrant” generation embraced these new technologies and, with the help of family, friends and co-workers, stayed ahead of the wave before it crashed upon them. Others were forced into new lessons, some kicking and screaming, because all this new technology seemed so far removed from what they had known, and they longed for the comfort of familiarity. Still, others were left all alone and stranded, unable, understandably, to predict just how much the world around them was changing and would continue to change. The disparity of technological knowledge among today’s seniors is staggering, yet it is a population that would benefit from all of its wonders immensely.

As we age, our eyesight worsens …. our medical needs increase ... our ability to drive, shop and socialize becomes much more of a strain. That is simply the price one pays as we tack on the years. However, technology today can ease these issues more so than any previous era.

Need a ride? Call an Uber …. Need your prescriptions filled? Shipped to your doorstep.

Need a recipe, a reminder, directions, the news? Ask Siri or hop on a device. The power of today’s technologies can offer seniors so many new ways to retain control over their lives and make them less reliant on others. They can socialize, communicate and fend for themselves in ways never available to their own parents. Today’s technologies offer solutions to common problems so many seniors face, whether it’s the increased need for medical care, being thrust into more independent living due to the death of a spouse or because family members have moved away, or finding the best deals while living on a fixed income. So how can the seniors left behind get back on the road?

As a start, both groups, the plugged-in and the unplugged, have to acknowledge the digital divide and recognize that it will take a willingness on both parts to help bridge the gap. Patience, understanding and a willingness to teach and to learn are all parts of the solution, because, like what it’s taken to master most things in life, it’s going to take a lot of practice.

Think back to the first time you got behind the wheel of a car. Many mistakes were made. Manipulating the pedals and navigating the turns and all the rules of the road were a challenge.

Regardless of how easy your teacher made it look, it took time, experience and patience, on your part and on the part of that teacher, before you mastered it. You didn’t quit after your fifth time out. You persevered because you saw that the ability to drive unlocked potential that made life more livable. Well, the internet, and all the gadgets associated with it, provide that same benefit.

If you are willing to learn about new technologies, seek help from family and friends. You might be surprised how eager they are to help. If those options aren’t available, look for adult education programs in your area. More and more community centers, community colleges and county agencies offer continuing education programs dedicated to helping seniors become more tech savvy. Additionally, organizations like AARP offer help as well. Through their Learn@50+ program, they offer no cost education programs focused on helping seniors learn how to utilize available technologies. Even though it may be tough to teach an old dog new tricks, you are never too old to learn and there are people and programs willing to help you.

So, for any of you out there who feel intimidated by the technology superhighway, you don’t need to be afraid. You don’t need to get hung up when you need to find your entrance ramp, change lanes, or hit the brakes. All you need is someone patient and caring in the passenger seat to help guide you. Soon you’ll be cruising along, the master of your domain, able to access all the wonderful places and services that highway has to offer. A whole new world will open; one that can empower your life in ways you have yet to realize. So find your teacher and strap into the seat. The ride of your lifetime awaits.