Anyone have experience with Ipads and Grandpads?

I had gotten my mom a simplified tablet (similar to Grandpad) when she was in stage 4 Alzheimer’s. She had way more difficulty with it than I would have anticipated. I was hoping she’d use Facebook to keep up with her siblings and cousins but she wasn’t capable.

Ended up getting an Echo Show snd setting it to allow us to “drop in”. This enables us to do video chats with her. And it’s been a lifesaver. She’s stage 6 now and in AL. She can no longer place a phone call or even answer one. The Echo Show has been the only way for me to stay in touch with her since March.

Grandpad keeps it simple, very simple. Big on and off buttons. Simple one sentence instructions. Good single-person matching and solitaire games. Ideal for elderly who have NO experience with computers and are intimidated by electronics...yet allows visual and verbal contact with family. Easy, readily accessible tech assistance for using web and phone if desired.

Your profile says she suffers from a Dementia. Not sure how the Grandpad works but I would not recommend an Ipad. How does she do with a telephone. A remote? Short term memory, being able to reason and processing are pretty much the first abilities to go. Can she learn and retain what she learns. My Mom couldn't use a simple cell that had a turn on turn off button.

Wasn't there somekind of video thing that could be left on and you could connect to the person without them needing to do anything?

If her main need is connecting with family, Grandpad is great for this. It is especially nice because family members actually appear on the screen. Also good for virtual doctor visits if arranged ahead. Lots of easy solitaire type games available as well. As the name implies, it is designed for seniors who haven't much experience with computers (and don't intend to use a computer a lot). I don't know every feature of the Grandpad, but have been told it is possible to shop on the internet (with tech help from Grandpad tech assistants).

The ipad requires skill on the computer and, to my knowledge, is no easier than a regular computer. It is smaller and more portable than even laptop computers. I bought a Grandpad for myself (being somewhat of a novice with computers) but returned it because I wanted to do a fair amount of shopping and searching the internet for a wide variety of sites. Grandpad wasn't designed for this. I'm just attached to my desktop or laptop.

Freqflyer, I totally agree with you.    The purpose of devices should be functional, and all paths should focus on that.   A lot of the stuff on computers and in packages is focused on young people with different ideas and different needs.   E.g., MS automatically downloads all kinds of games that have no appeal and I have to keep deleting them.    These are the silly one with silly cartoon figures.   

We old folks don't seem to be in a target range for functional devices.

AT1234, can your mother just call people?  I've found that's far more personal and interactive than communicating online, and the interaction is perhaps the best part of reaching out to someone.

AT1234, it all depends on how technical the senior. I am only in my 70's and find I cannot deal with a Smartphone, so I will keep using my flip phone until it crashes :P

My Dad worked in a field where the engineers used large mainframe computers long before personal computers started on the horizon in the 1980's. Dad would write code for computer programs using programs that many young people today never heard of, such as FORTRAN. When I went to sell his house a couple years ago, Dad still had a personal floppy disk computer that he refused to part with. He use to teach "Dos" base software.

But once Dad started to get into his 80's and 90's, computer technology was jumping too quickly for him to keep up. So, if my Dad was becoming befuddled by such technology with his extensive background, I can't imagine how others would feel.

Wish technology would use the old tried and true KISS theory.