Entertainment/electronics options for a senior who's 'gadget averse'?

Kk, I have thought about your approach... get her a device or service anyway and use it when I'm there! I used to load up her CD player and leave her to it (she can't work her stereo). I know what you mean about weather/something they can't do anything about, we have that problem with the news. :(

My parents also like the digital picture frame. There's is attached to WiFi so new pictures can be sent to it and it can be controlled remotely. I gave it to them about 3 years ago and they look at it every day.

They also have apple tv but cannot navigate to it and around it at all. My dad loves watching old shows and nature documentary but someone needs to be with them to operate the Apple TV and Netflix.

I try to steer my Dad away from weather because he doesn't understand that they may be giving weather for another area..and he gets all jazzed up about bad weather and is just one more thing to cause him anxiety or for him to obsess about.

LOL. I'm in Richmond, hello up there!

My Dad always been big on the weather. I remember last winter Dad had to call me that the schools were closed in Chicago. If we were living in Chicago and I had grade school children that would be important.... but I am pushing 70 and both he and I lived in northern Virginia :P

Good ideas ladies, thanks! YG, I'm not adept enough for that one :) but I'll think about an angle on it! FF, I hadn't thought about the attention span thing, hmm... she gets the Sunday paper, but come to think about it she doesn't read it. Just using the ads, haha. Yes, old people are all about the weather, and they do have some good shows. Bizarre. GA, yes that background stuff is such a turnoff and why I barely watch tv. Maybe a TV guide subscription is in order... she can see what's on without flipping. So much of what's out there is not for any of us, it's for kids or someone. I found a weather monitor with a big display and 24-hour forecast on Amazon, will see if Mom can learn to use it.

Dad loves the digital picture frame I got him for Christmas. It displays the pictures like a slide show. My son set it up, easily got all the pictures of our family from Facebook to use. It's the 7 inch polaroid model.

You might investigate something like Roku, which I understand allows you to download various movies, but it doesn't give you the range that Cable offers (although some of it isn't that worthwhile - like dozens of sports channels and no drama, opera or dance channels).

You could also just switch to DVDs, especially if she has some old time favorites like John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, etc.

Interesting that commented on music while people are speaking. I've thought for some time how irritating that is. It's as if there has to be some music, or often just plain racket, as opposed to just letting someone speak plainly without the intervention of background noise.

Even us youngers in our 60's can get baffled by today's technology. Give me the old fashioned TV where I need to get up off the sofa to turn on the TV, to change and stations, and to adjust the volume. EASY !! But not today with a boat load of buttons on a remote.

As people age it becomes harder for them to settle in and read a book. My Dad is constantly getting distracted to even get through a couple of pages, and having poor eyesight doesn't help, either. He can handle a newspaper which is quick and easy.

And what's up with the Weather Channel being off some of the cable providers. I loved "Storm Chasers" and some of the other programs offered. My Dad is obsessed with weather, and now he is finally getting cable but said network isn't available. There is always Turner Classic Movies :)