Friday the 13th: Dying in the Age of Tech

Friday the 13th: Dying in the Age of Tech

By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi

October 13, 2023

Friday the 13th, is a day associated with all things bad luck.  From the Biblical account of 13 people attending the Last Super to the 1980s pop culture hit movie with Jason in a ski mask, this is a day known for darkness.  So it seems appropriate for today's post to mix two areas of doom and gloom: death and tech, more specifically, tech that is not easy to operate.

Marriage to an electronics engineer has amped up my luddite tendencies, leaving me with less than adequate skills to operate our tech devices.   Over the years when a cell phone needed an update or it was time to install a new printer or adjust our Smart thermostat, I commonly let my spouse take the lead.  He is more more efficient, capable, and considers these tasks fun.  His professional hours are spent designing circuit boards, so the decision was a no brainer.  However, with my entrance to a new decade (I recently celebrated my 50th birthday), I realized that I should know how to do some of these things as well.  Just in case.  Maybe my phone will need to be replaced while he is traveling for business, or maybe.....my well-trained estate planning and probate brain quickly spins scenarios in which I will need to sort these issues out on my own.  

Which leads me to this list, 13 tech devices that may need some explaining about how to operate and or maintain.  Such a list may be useful to your life partner and or personal representative (known as an Executor in most states) should your time come:

1. Cell phone
2. Personal computer
3. Home security system (including cameras)
4. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
5. Energy efficient power sources, such as solar panels
6. Outdoor garden equipment
7. Assorted home automation - lights or sound systems
8. Smart locks to your home and or vehicle(s)
9. Automated pet feeding devices
10. Internet access and wiring
11. Smart lawn mowers and snow blowers
12. Your vehicle(s)
13. Voice activated controls for home appliances (giving Alexa commands to dim the lights)

Willa - author's cat, pictured in 2008.  RIP.

Death will come for all of us, take the moment to leave some easy to access instructions for the loved ones you leave behind.  Then go out and enjoy Fall Fun at a corn maze, apple orchard, or Oktoberfest.  Remember that a blog is meant to spark thought and reflection.  It is not legal advice.  Please consult an attorney in your home state for advice specific to your unique situation.  Thanks for reading, be well, and click Follow above to receive updates on future posts.