The AI Scare: How Baby Boomers Really Feel About Technology

This episode takes a timely turn as the ladies dive into the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) from a baby boomer’s perspective. What does AI actually mean? Why does it feel overwhelming, frustrating, or even scary? And how can families begin to navigate these changes together?

Karren shares her honest reactions to the fast-paced world of technology, while Kim helps bridge the gap with perspective and curiosity. The result is a meaningful, sometimes funny, and highly relatable conversation that highlights the importance of communication, patience, and compassion between generations.

At its core, this episode is about connection—learning how to talk to each other, support each other, and better understand the evolving world we are all navigating together.

If you are caring for aging parents, experiencing these changes yourself, or simply want to start more meaningful conversations within your family, this episode is a powerful place to begin.

#AgingParents #CaregivingConversations #AIForSeniors #BabyBoomers #GenX #FamilyCommunication #AgingLovedOnes #SeniorLifestyle #TechnologyAndAging #CaregiverSupport #MultigenerationalConversations

Come with us as we explore what it means to navigate these years with our aging loved ones.

So grab a cup of coffee—or maybe a glass of wine—subscribe, invite your friends or family, and join us for Walks with Mom.

Special thanks to our Sponsor Amada Senior Care Mesa serving families and seniors in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, Mesa, and the surrounding East Valley area. Accredited VA Provider (NPI # 1558048199) and Trusted resource for Long-Term Care Insurance Claims

Compassionate, personalized in-home senior care starts here – contact Amada Senior Care Phoenix today by phone at (480) 418-5422 or visit us online to get started and give your loved one the support, dignity, and independence they deserve.
www.amadaseniorcare.com/mesa-senior-care

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Aging is not for the faint of heart. I'm Kim, a proud generation Xer, and I'm here with my baby boomer mom, Karen. Together, we'll tackle the tough but necessary conversations, share the hilarious and sometimes embarrassing moments, and open up about the stories that truly touch the heart. Come with us as we explore what it means to navigate these years with our aging loved ones. So grab a cup of coffee or maybe a glass of wine. Invite your friends and family and join us for Walks with Mom. Welcome back to Walks with Mom. My name is Kim, and I am a Generation X. And this is I'm Karen and I'm her mom, and I'm a baby boober. Awesome. Thanks so much for being here, Mom. Are you enjoying our podcast, Walks with Mom? I actually am now that we're becoming a little more comfortable doing them. Well, I I know we table, we titled it Walks with Mom, but this could be for, you know, what if somebody had a dad?

SPEAKER_00 1:07

Oh, yeah. It's just a walks with a senior. But that's not very classy sounding. We don't want to be walks with senior. Walks with the aging old people.

unknown 1:17

Thanks.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

We don't want to admit we're aging old. Let's get on with it.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Well, why did why did we create this podcast? What do you think?

SPEAKER_00 1:26

Well, we just found that there are many things happening in the life of a senior, both emotionally, uh, spiritually, mentally, physically, right. That we don't really uh want to admit to ourselves to some extent and don't share with our children. And if we don't start talking about some of these things, then we are in a situation of crisis management.

SPEAKER_01 1:53

Crisis management. And I love these conversations because sometimes we all don't know how to vocalize them or start having these conversations. So the whole purpose of this podcast is hopefully this can be a catalyst, right? Or an easy, non-intrusive way to start talking about some hard conversations.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Hey, daughter, I saw this great podcast I want to share with you. Actually, my sister-in-law watched one of our podcasts and said, I want to share this with my husband, your brother, because he needs to start cleaning out 60 years worth of stuff.

SPEAKER_01 2:33

This was one of ours titled the Great Clean Out, right? From a Generation X perspective. Yeah. So um, yeah, I don't know what my cousins are going to do with all that 60 years of stuff.

SPEAKER_00 2:48

Oh, well, if my brother will clean out, they'll be very thankful. I know. I know they will.

SPEAKER_01 2:53

Well, um, and and I'm glad. So thank you. If you have found that these podcasts are helpful or just you've enjoyed them, will you please give a comment or share with someone, maybe a coworker, maybe your aging loved one, or someone else that is going through kind of this with their parents or along besides, right? The more we talk, the more we find to talk about. Exactly. And we have found that planning and preparation are always much easier than crisis management, right? So let's talk about uh today's title is about AI, mom. The AI scare. The AI scare. Is that what we've titled this? Yes. Okay. From a baby boomer's perspective. Yes. It's very scary, isn't it? Scary stuff.

SPEAKER_00 3:44

It's uh scary, frustrating, uh-huh, and annoying.

SPEAKER_01 3:50

And annoying. Well, mom, do you even know what AI stands for?

SPEAKER_00 3:54

I think I do. What does it stand for? I think it stands for artificial intelligence.

SPEAKER_01 4:00

Very good. Very good. So, what are some of the things that already AI is using in our world, or maybe that you're using?

SPEAKER_00 4:08

Well, this some of the things that I see AI interfering in my interfering. That's a story. In my world, yes. Well, first of all, I get in my car to go somewhere, and it tells me I'm going to work. I don't work. And they think I work at my church. I think you go there often. So they might know. But I guess it's assuming. And and the thing is, even if I'm not going there, it may tell me that's where I'm going. Because we might be going in that direction. So it just assumes. I know where I'm going. I don't need it to tell me, or I can put on maps to tell me if I need to. Good.

unknown 4:50

Good.

SPEAKER_00 4:51

The other thing that I have is really, really recent because my phone has been updated. My Gmail has been updated. So when you go into your Gmail, it summarizes it for you. And it's like Isn't that nice? You don't have to use brain power. I am sorry. I am still able to read the Gmail and take out of it what is important to me. I don't need somebody else summarizing it for me. And then on top of that, it what it gives me an answer. Well, it gives you a suggestion how to answer it. Isn't that great? I never take that suggestion, just by the way.

SPEAKER_01 5:32

I am loving it though. I'm like, it's taking off time and brain power that I'm having to put into it. You don't find it annoying? No, I'm actually finding it very appreciative. But I can see from your generation. So besides annoying, you shared with me that there's actual, and it could be legitimate, or at least from your baby boomer perspective, there are fears and concerns around AI.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

I think a lot of it comes from some of the books and movies that were very popular during oh my upbringing and early 20s. Early formative years. Yeah. Okay. Um, one of them was Brave New World. Okay. 1984. Uh there were a number of them which really kind of emphasized uh robots taking over the earth, artificial things getting out of hand and not controlled by people and overtaking people and you know um kind of dehumanizing things and um seeking conformity of everything. Okay. And I just uh that was scary back then, and of course, back then we thought it could never happen.

SPEAKER_01 6:59

It was sci-fi, but it was sci-fi and it was way in the future. Yes, but it's here. It's here, it is here, it is happening. Well, I mean, not to that extent, but it's good.

SPEAKER_00 7:11

Well that's what's scary about it. You don't know how far it can go.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

Yeah, you don't know how far it can go. Um, so I have found, so I own Amada Senior Care or co-own Amada Senior Care with my friend Chris Keller, and we have found your generation is not as open or receptive to some of the technology assistive devices that are AI, yeah, um, AI background or AI driven, right? Um, that would actually help in the home. And we have found that it's very resistant because your generation and the generation above you, the silent generation, that's the generation that was after the depressive, uh, the greatest generation that grew in the depression state. Um, but that they're just very resistant. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:09

Because they think it's listening and watching them. I knew very little about some of the advances in AI. I did go on the internet and do a little research. And I believe one of the data is that 46% of the seniors don't trust AI. Really?

SPEAKER_01 8:28

40% of seniors don't trust AI.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

Yeah, and I think uh they don't understand. They have this fear that I just kind of talked about that's kind of scary, and they just don't really understand it. It's just one of those advancing technologies that we shudder about and don't want to have to contend with, but I'm afraid it's here. It's here.

SPEAKER_01 8:53

Well, and what I love is that mom and I, we talk, you know, at the kitchen table about these things. And sometimes I wish we had cameras at the kitchen table to catch those real life conversations. Uh, but when I started sharing some of uh some of the AI advances, I think you were a little more open to it. So let me give you some background as far as in senior care. Um I every I want everybody to picture like a triangle. And this is going to signify usually our demographics, our age demographics in the United States. So if you have a triangle with a point at the top, with the point at the top, okay. Um, you know, the the bottom section is usually uh the amount of youth that we have in the country. And the middle section is going to be what we signify as the workforce. And then the top section where the pointy, you know, just not very many, is not very many, um, that signifies the aging population, right? Now that's been the usual demographics in our country. Okay. However, with the baby boomers and we're living longer, and living longer, and we're not having as many children in the United States. I think we're now each female, you know, on average is having 1.67, and we need to have 2.1 children to keep up with the demographics. Anyway, that that triangle is now inverted to where the largest population is the aging population, uh-huh. Then there's not going to be as many workforce to support the aging population. And then the smallest demographic is the amount of youth. Now there at that point is the youth. Yeah. So really, mom, as you're aging, the amount of people to support and care, and we're talking about medically in the medical doctors, nurses, physicians, specialists, um, uh all the way down to caregivers is going to be not as many uh, you know, to support the aging population. Oh, so we might be home alone. So you might be home alone. But I think that's where I'm super excited, especially in my industry of senior care, helping seniors stay at home as safely as possible, is where AI and technology can really be helpful to assist seniors in staying home safely. So for example, did you know that there are AI systems that can also monitor your behavioral patterns? So, like kind of radar systems, not cameras, not invasive technology, but radar that kind of monitors your patterns and can detect and your movements in the house. Yeah. Okay. And then detect when there are things outside of that. Outside of the normal. Outside of the normal. Like uh a fall. Like maybe a fall. Or not getting out of bed or not getting out of bed. Or maybe if there's a normal activity between the hours of seven in the morning to nine in the kitchen, and there hasn't been activity, then there could be alerts. So AI is programmed to go, hey, this is outside of the norm for the senior. And families like me could be alerted. What are your thoughts on that? Like, do you because I think that's pretty cool. And as an adult daughter, I would find, okay, it's not a camera, so I'm not watching mom, right? Okay, so it's not entirely invasive. Right. But it could be set up to give alerts. What are your thoughts on that?

SPEAKER_00 13:13

Well, I can see some benefits. I mean, so I right now I get up before you in the morning generally. But if I wasn't getting up and you went to work, you'd know if I got up at all.

SPEAKER_01 13:27

That is correct. And but I think we have the benefit because we live together. Right. But I I we're we're not the norm.

SPEAKER_00 13:36

But here again, you would be gone. And if something happened, if I fell at home, oh yeah. You I wouldn't know. You wouldn't know, except I do carry my phone with me everywhere I go. Maybe it would alert you. Hopefully it would. Or do my hearing aids have AI? Will they alert you? It could. It could. Or my watch. Or your watch. Okay. I see some benefits of AI there.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

Yeah. So I think that that would be just some great assistive devices. And so there's another um, you know, upcoming technology about it's audio AI. So it picks up on words, sounds, and phrases that are like care related. So if you say something like, I forgot to take my medications, that's a care-related event. That could be really crucial. And that could alert. So those are care-related and HIPAA compliant. You know, obviously it has to go through some AI filtering to signify, hey, this might be a concern. Okay. Do you know what I mean? And like, is it becoming a pattern? And maybe that's and that's what AI could track is that it's becoming a pattern that you're forgetting your medication. But then it's audio related. So it'd have to be pick up on those audio, those words, those sounds, those phrases. Okay. That yeah. What are your thoughts on that? Do you think that that could be beneficial as your generation starts aging and we have a lack of, you know, maybe there's not going to be enough support, I think.

SPEAKER_00 15:22

Or there's right. And I think it it might be beneficial in giving um, especially your generation, the children, a peace of mind. Yes, yes, yes. Preach it, preach it, preach it. Knowing that your parents' daily activities are normal and not to be uh alarmed by something. Yeah. Or to become alarmed because something normal is not happening. I don't know if it would give my generation a peace of mind or not.

SPEAKER_01 15:54

But uh but I'm really glad that you pointed that out. So I think from both perspectives, like this would give me a peace of mind. Yeah, definitely. And and but from your perspective, uh is that helpful for you that that gives me a peace of mind, or do you feel like that is I think my generation would have to have a change in attitude toward AI.

SPEAKER_00 16:22

That we might need more uh education like you're kind of giving me right now, or uh just more information, because here again we have all of this scare in our lives about robots taking over. Yeah. And while this is not actually a robot as such, it is like Big Brother watching from 1984.

SPEAKER_01 16:47

Or your perspective. Yeah. It's like Big Brother watching. What if it was like more uh saying this is just data to be informed?

SPEAKER_00 16:57

Well, and and showing how helpful it could be. Right. And I think, yeah, uh the idea of data is important, I think. Yeah. I think it's the gathering of data. Yeah, yeah. Um I just thought of something. Okay, please share. I have um some friends that are in their 80s. Um she uses a walker, and I think he's got Parkinson's or something like that. And uh so neither one are really able to drive anymore. And one of their kids gave them a self-driving car. That's an AI tool, isn't it? I believe so. Yeah. They are able to still live at home by themselves, go to the grocery store, go to church. They don't go a lot of places, but they go the essential places that get out.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

So it's like one of those Waymo cars that you're getting in that's just self-driving.

SPEAKER_00 17:58

Yeah, it's programmed as to where they're going.

SPEAKER_01 18:01

I absolutely love that. So if I had, yes, it if it got to the point that you it would give me more peace of mind.

SPEAKER_00 18:11

Well, I I can see how the senior would be independent, more independent at that point. Yes. And not have to be sitting at home waiting for one of their kids to help them out if their kids are even local.

SPEAKER_01 18:25

Absolutely. I mean, and there's a lot of resources for driving, right? You know, there there are things like Go Go Grandparent. There is uh one of my favorite companies is Wanda. Um, they also, you know, drive seniors. But again, you know, you're you're having to make a service.

SPEAKER_00 18:47

It's not really, it doesn't give you a feeling of independence, whereas this car makes them feel totally independent. She drives by herself to Bible study. That's awesome. And she's not really driving, right?

SPEAKER_01 19:00

I love it. So it gave it gave her more independence. It gives the kids a peace of mind. So you can see how some of these AI um technologies can be really helpful for both generations, you to give you more independence, your generation, but then the peace of mind and the comfort and the data. I think I love the data collection. Yeah. Makes it more um palatable.

SPEAKER_00 19:32

I have a question. Yeah. When when you get like not a pacemaker, but you know, a monitor for, you know, your heart, is that an AI thing? You're asking the wrong person.

SPEAKER_01 19:48

I don't know. Okay. Maybe we can ask Chat GBT. Which is Okay. What is that now? For the oh, I don't use that. I'm sorry. So what advice could you give to your generation? Because I think you've identified that AI is here.

SPEAKER_00 20:10

AI is here. And I think if we uh you know what, they've got senior classes for AI. You know, a lot of uh like a senior citizen centers or senior communities. Okay. Um or I think there's an actual kind of uh class situation for seniors uh in our area of Chandler that go go to them, learn about AI, get yourself educated. Um maybe your kids can give you some information. Although I know I asked my son-in-law about AI and he says, Oh, I find it kind of scary.

SPEAKER_01 20:49

But anyway, well, I think I think one advice that I really liked that you shared is um maybe not in so many words, but you said kind of embrace it. It's it's here. It's here. And and find a way to make um make peace with it, make comfort with it, but so it can be used for your benefit.

SPEAKER_00 21:09

And when uh you're being introduced to something, ask questions till you're satisfied. Okay. And be open about it. Definitely.

SPEAKER_01 21:18

Yeah. Well, thanks so much, mom. I hope uh you've learned a little bit more about AI, because we're gonna start putting that in our home. Just kidding. Not right away. Not yet. Um, if you've enjoyed this episode, please share it. Also make a comment. Uh, that's how more people will start uh listening. And this will be a catalyst to start having those conversations between the generations. And uh until we see you on the next time, on the next walk, thanks for joining us.

SPEAKER_00 21:49

This is Karen, and I just wanted to say thank you for spending some time with us today. Please come back for more laughs, more connections, and more real life. Moments between these two generations. See you on the next walk.