What is your preferred method of communication?

Question

Face to face, written( snail mail or hand delivered letters), email, text messaging via cell phone , IM ( Instant Messaging), telephone or telepathy?
I'm asking the seniors because some seniors can tend to feel vulnerable, so I am curious if that vulnerability transfers into your communication choice as well, a protective thing.

I strongly prefer email myself. I really don't like to talk on the phone much at all. Email gives me the chance to think how to respond. Thus my thoughts are more accurate.

Yep I even my own theme song-
"If the phone doesn't ring it's me" by Jimmy Buffett.:)

Answer 1

Depends on who I am communicating with.

Answer 2

If I qualify for AARP does that mean I qualify as a senior? (I'm 50.)

If so, then I'll say I prefer either face-to-face or email. I never liked phones. Cell phones are especially difficult - I can't always hear or understand what people are saying on a cell.

I'm a very visual person, so face-to-face is best so I can read their body language.

Email is next because, while I don't have the advantage of body language, I do have time to look over what they're saying before I have to form my response. I then have the time to review what I've written to be sure it conveys what I really mean. Though there are still misunderstandings at times, they are more rare that way.

If being 50 doesn't qualify me to answer this, then just ignore everything I said!

Answer 3

I prefer face to face. It's so much more interesting when you can see how some one reacts in converstation, and you can see their eyes. I do phone but not a lot, as a necessity rather than a gossip-fest. email is ok, when I don't know a phone # or I just want to leave info and don't need an answer right away. Or someone is a long ways away.

I love snail mail, I love to get letters, but the problem with that is, I don't take time to write any. Email is so much easier.
I have done some IM, but I actually find it rather bothersome. And I don't text, my thumbs won't work that fast! lol!

Answer 4

My preference depends on the people I'm communicating with and the reason we are in contact. I truly prefer to use multiple ways to 'stay in touch'. I suspect that generational differences do play a small role in my choices-my daughters and my parents have vastly different approaches-but over all I tend to move from one form to the other. (I'm 49, daughters in their 20s, parents in their 70s)

Telephone: Landline and mobile (cellular)-My dad and I chat at least 4 days a week, in the mornings before my mom is up and ready to talk. I think my dad still misses his coworkers and the interaction he had before he retired-we've talked more in the years since he retired than we did the whole 45 years before. My oldest daughter lives in another state, she prefers phone calls to email, and we chat often. Most of my other phone calls are quick and to the point; both business and personal.

Telephone conferences: or even 3-way calls. Despite the inevitable technical glitches, I do like phone conferences. I participate in at least 2 a month. While I understand that face to face meetings have advantages; I still think phone conferences are effective and they sure save travel time. Another plus is that it allows people from all over the world to participate, which is great for brainstorming.

E-mail: I use this daily, for both personal and business purposes. It's great for quick notes, sharing photos with family, sharing documents, and reaching many people with one note.

Face to face: My husband and I frequently have 'front porch conferences' and are often joined by our youngest daughter, neighbors, family, and other friends. Last night we visited my parents. Much of my work is hands on and can only be done in person. However; I find myself becoming more and more impatient with meetings that are only held because they are scheduled and not to do any actual work. These meetings are often a series of reports and announcements-and I think other methods are more efficient.

I don't use IM and only rarely text.

Telepathy is something I might use, but I'm usually not aware that I'm using it...;)

I use other methods too:
Online conferences-especially online classes-I love these! There is usally a power point document along with the voice of the teacher or meeting chairperson. Questions and answers are done in an orderly fashion so everyone can hear. The meetings are recorded so you can go back and review or listen later if you couldn't attend live.

Message boards, chat rooms, and internet "neighborhoods"-These are wonderful for working together on ongoing projects and to keep up with friends and family members.

Answer 5

I could use telepathy at this time and place. Last year I fell on the hard, cold garage floor taking out the dogs, pee-pee. In returning there was no door knob, and since then I am going through an assortment of residules since the bilateral subderal hemotoma surgery. At present, I can write, but can't speak more than two sentences. For someone who is verbal this is not a good situation. Maybe, some may think so.

Answer 6

E-mail, Text messaging via cell,I like sending pictures cell phone and telepathy.
I too prefer e-mail....I can answer and read it when I have time.
Which means am giving it all my attention.
At night or early in the morning when most people are a sleep.(but am a wake)
yes, I agree it is a more accurate way to communicate.
I do not like to communicate on the phone and I always seem to leave my cell at home
I dislike the cell phone the most.

Answer 7

1. Face to face - whenever possible, though with friends far flung, can't always do that...even with family and friends nearby I'd have to 'wait'. Love to see the expression, hear the tone of voice, observe body language and get the 'hugs' :-)

2. Email - WONDERFUL invention! Let's me communicate and 'chat' long distance with those I may never actually see again; or with those I see intermittently and with those I have never seen. It also gives me an INSTANT way of communicating to family and yet not disturb them at work, etc. And like you said it gives me time to frame comments and to avoid knee jerk comments/reactions.

3. Phone - don't do as much as yesteryear

4. Snail mail - RARELY - slightly bum right hand due to a break a couple years ago and writing begins to make my hand ache.

Answer 8

I used to love getting letters from my mom and my sisters. I still miss that form of communication. Now, I've joined everyone else though and enjoy email most. I talk to my children on the phone almost daily but like to keep
conversations to others rather short unless we have a lot to talk about. Then I enjoy it.

Answer 9

Definately phone calls best, I can talk for hours. All through school my reports said I talk to much!!

Face to face as well but don't have as much time to visit (or be visited) as i would like.

I often find I start to email or text and delete it and make a phone call instead. Both are convenient but you can't put expression and emotion into the written word the same.

Answer 10

I prefer email too. I have never been a phone person. I think I'm much like you, I need that chance to think about my response. I've already done many edits to my answer. Now I must hit preview and decide if this is what I want to say!

Answer 11

I can speak OK but I do prefer to use handwritten forms like email, or snail mail because like you, I can think about what I want to say and how before I actually send the communication.