Ask Slashdot: Touchscreen Device For the Elderly? 155
Posted
by
timothy
from the please-slide-here dept.
from the please-slide-here dept.
Lord Byron II writes "My grandma is in her 80s, is bed-ridden, in a nursing home, and is basically reaching the end of her life. Her legs are weak, meaning that she is confined to her bed, and her hearing is pretty much gone. Her sight is good and her mental facilities are still there, but even so, she spends most of her days just watching daytime TV, like the Price is Right and talk shows. The family has tasked me with finding her an easy-to-use, not overly expensive device that would mentally challenge her. Ideally, I would like to get something iPad like so that she could play card games and such. But the Internet connectivity and advanced features are completely unnecessary. Is there a simple device that will let her easily play some games?"
Re:Touchscreen? (Score:5, Informative)
Hahahaha
This is the worst suggestion since Hitler's painting instructor told him to go into politics.
Get an iPad (Score:5, Informative)
He has a computer (old G5 Mac tower) but rarely uses it now since the iPad can be used virtually anywhere in his home.
It's also reduced the number of "how to" and troubleshooting calls we get from him. For an 83-YO former pastor he does pretty good technically and recently figured out how to properly install the OS/X drivers on his G5 for a scanner/printer on his own.
Short answer: by all means get an iPad. It has the richest set of games and social media connections. My $.02.
Nintendo DSi XL - It was made for her. (Score:3, Informative)
The Nintendo DSi XL is comparetively cheap, has awsome games that the elderly love (such as the Professor Layton series) and it was built with old-timers in mind. Big screen, modest colors, large pen-like extra stylus and absolut idiot-proof usage. Get her one plus one or two Layton titles and some other slow or non-action puzzle game. ... Most likely she'll ask for more sooner than you'll expect.
And who knows, maybe she'll also be kicking your sorry ass at MarioCart in 2 months aswell. :-)
Re:that's easy (Score:4, Informative)
I've had good luck with customers and the Velocity Cruz and Archos tablets. Sure they're not speed demons, but we are talking grandma and he is worried about price. they start at $99 [tigerdirect.com] for the 7 inch Cruz but if its for grandma I'd probably look at the 10 inch Archos for $169 [tigerdirect.com].
As someone whose grandma passed away this yer I wish you all the luck in the world. We were lucky that mine was a spirited little thing that managed to stay on her feet right up until that last week of her life when she passed right after her 96th birthday.
I learned one thing though...I don't EVER want to live to be THAT old! all your friends are gone, more of the people that you knew are below ground than above, she had even lost one child and one grandchild by the end. Personally I'd rather bite the farm before everybody i know does, thanks.