At 73, Anne Goldberg has turned her lifelong comfort with technology into a rewarding career helping older adults conquer their fears of smartphones, iPads, and other devices. With over a decade of experience, she leads classes primarily at independent and assisted living facilities in Florida, where her students—averaging around 85 years old—feel at ease learning from someone close to their own generation.
Goldberg’s tech journey began in the 1980s with early computers. Later, in her recruitment career, she became adept at creating and formatting PowerPoint presentations. In the fall of 2013, at age 61 and between jobs, she created a digital slideshow for a friend’s relative’s 80th birthday party. The positive response was overwhelming, and within just 10 days, older adults began calling her for help with their laptops, iPads, and smartphones.
This sparked an idea: “What if I turn this into a business?” Drawing on her cold-calling skills from recruitment, Goldberg contacted an activities coordinator at an independent living facility in her hometown of Boca Raton, Florida, proposing a beginner’s class on electronic devices. She quickly secured her first gig. Seniors arrived with barely touched devices—many after failed attempts by family members to teach them. Goldberg lightened the mood by joking, “I know you hate the idea of being here,” and the class was an instant success.
Twelve years later, she continues teaching at retirement and assisted living communities across Florida. Her peer-to-peer approach is key: “They prefer the advice of someone from their generation—or close enough—who understands the challenges,” she explains.
Many seniors arrive anxious about appearing incompetent, worried about damaging expensive gadgets, or resistant due to nostalgia for a simpler, pre-digital era. Goldberg addresses these fears head-on with patience, humor, and encouragement.
Here are three essential tips she shares with her students:
1. You’re not dumb
Many clients fear looking foolish. Goldberg reassures them that nobody is born knowing this stuff. She encourages a shift in mindset: Instead of saying “I can’t do it,” say “I can’t do it yet.” Curiosity and persistence lead to quick breakthroughs—one octogenarian was stunned at how simple it was to save a texted photo to her iPhone, exclaiming, “Are you kidding me? Is that all I have to do?”
2. Don’t get too nostalgic
While Goldberg respects fond memories of life before smartphones, she reminds students that modern tech offers incredible benefits. “You can talk to [family] and see them at the same time nowadays,” she says. “You couldn’t do that 50 years ago.” Learning FaceTime often becomes a highlight, connecting them to distant loved ones in ways that were once impossible.
3. It’s difficult to break your phone
Fear of destruction is common, but Goldberg points out that devices are built tough. “If you throw your phone against the wall in frustration, it will break,” she jokes, or run it over with a car. Modern iPhones can even survive water immersion up to 6 meters for 30 minutes. Gentle tapping won’t harm the screen—she compares it to quickly touching a hot iron to test heat.
The rewards are profound for Goldberg: “It’s incredibly rewarding. It’s great to see the glint in their eyes and the sense of achievement when someone finally ‘gets it.'”
She has also channeled her expertise into a book: Take This Phone and Shove It!: A Frustrated Senior’s Guide to Smartphones, offering relatable guidance for seniors ready to embrace technology.
This inspiring story shows how one person’s skills and empathy can create meaningful impact in the senior community.
Author attribution: This rewritten article is based on the original piece by Jane Ridley, published in Business Insider on January 17, 2026.
