Experiences with older parents/grandparents & tablets

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jamesrt

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# 248921 16-Apr-2019 10:07

Hi,

Does anyone have real-world experience with an 80+ aged relative using an iPad or decent Android tablet [i.e. Samsung or similar brands, not cheap underspec'd]?

My Father-in-Laws laptop has become unusable; he's ok with his Kindle [mostly], but hates his cheap $100 "smartphone" (because it's cheap, low spec, no memory, etc).

Unsure what is the best upgrade from an OS or usability perspective. I've got a foot in both camps myself; hence curious about other people's experience.

Ta

geekiegeek

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# 2218016 16-Apr-2019 10:52

80+ grandmother got her first iPad a year ago and loves it. Uses it mostly for Facebook email and checking lotto numbers.

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kiwifidget

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# 2218019 16-Apr-2019 11:00

My Mum, (76) loves her Gen 2 ipad. Uses email, facebook, games with friends over the webs, and facetime with the grandkids.

My Dad (nearly 80) has a Samsung tablet and hates it. Major battery and spontaneous reboot issues.

Thinking of getting him an ipad for his birthday, and Mum will then be wanting an upgrade.

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jonathan18

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# 2218020 16-Apr-2019 11:00

My 83-year-old mother uses her iPad daily; given she's got (but denies she has) relatively mild dementia, that she's still using it ok is testament to its appropriateness for such a situation.

Interestingly, we tried a range of different mobile phones with both my parents, but neither was ever able to master them - but these were a Doro flip phone designed for older people and some low-mid-level Android handsets; it would have been interesting to see how they would have been with iPhones.

Personally, I'd recommend an iPad over an Android tablet in this case; I'm far from an Apple fanboi, but do believe the OS and interface are better suited for older people.

jamesrt

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# 2218028 16-Apr-2019 11:06

Thanks, @jonathan18, very useful comment; it was the user interface experience I was undecided about.

I was wondering if the Android device may be just too customisable; which won't help in this situation.... Great for us nerds, however!

nathan

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# 2218034 16-Apr-2019 11:13

A +1 for iOS, the standardisation across OS and apps, and the fact there’s a physical button on iPad that just works

idle

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# 2218039 16-Apr-2019 11:25

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I may be a specialist in this area, particularly as I am 80 years old! My background is that of a regular user of the internet for 40 years or so, and my wife and I both have an interest in communication with a lot of grandchildren, so we both have iPhones and use them regularly and on a day to day basis. We plan to get rid of our landline this year. We also have a desktop, a laptop, a new iPad, and a Ipad mini, and have had 100/20 fibre for three years.

The main point I would make is that old age, in itself, is not a criteria on which to base opinions or judgements. Just as young people are different, and have different aptitudes, so do older folk vary in their capabilities. I know a number of "mature" friends who enjoy the use of modern technology and I suspect this involvement helps to "keep them young"! We are not all doddery or demented!

Technofreak

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# 2218046 16-Apr-2019 11:36

My 88 year old mother currently has a Samsung which is a couple of years old. She uses it for email, checking the hatched, matched and dispatched, (pretty well the first thing she does each day), email, whatsapp and games. She is happy with it and it performs flawlessly

Personally I don't think there's any advantage with iOS. My Mother-in-law has an iPad which she gets me to sort out from time to time.

There is a higher penetration of iPads so you will get more people coming out in support of them. Also Android tablets have gotten a reputation for variable performance. Unlike Apple who make the OS and the device thus control the device specifications Android can be and is installed on substandard hardware giving a poor user experience, much like the $100 phone you mention.

A quality Android tablet is just as good as an iPad and gives a good user experience. I am sure a good spec Samsung will do the job very well. It sounds as if he has may already have an Android phone so he is already used to the OS.

Since he has been using a laptop the other option to look at is something like the style of the Microsoft Surface or similar style of laptop/tablet.

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Technofreak

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# 2218048 16-Apr-2019 11:38

jamesrt: Thanks, @jonathan18, very useful comment; it was the user interface experience I was undecided about.

I was wondering if the Android device may be just too customisable; which won't help in this situation.... Great for us nerds, however!

There is no need to customise an Android device. It will work perfectly well out of the box. Just make sure you get a good quality one.

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Wade

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# 2218060 16-Apr-2019 11:53

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My 69yo father recently switched from iPhone to a decent mid level Xiaomi android phone, he would now pick "Android" over iOS any day :P

In reality MIUI on the Xiaomi is similarly simple to iOS and made the transition easy, sometimes the choice of UI or even the launcher could play into the outcome

jamesrt

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# 2218213 16-Apr-2019 14:30

idle: The main point I would make is that old age, in itself, is not a criteria on which to base opinions or judgements. Just as young people are different, and have different aptitudes, so do older folk vary in their capabilities.

Agree 100%. In this case, the FiL has been an avid technology avoider for 65+ years; although he's ok with email/Facebook on his laptop now.

However, there will be a learning curve with a new device; and a consistent interface style should assist.

Hence my inital question; i'm hoping for some real world feedback on how each OS had worked for people who are a little uncertain, and it has to be admitted that in my FiL's case are a little impatient with the technology [and not very forgiving either!]

idle

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# 2218274 16-Apr-2019 15:31

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My personal experience with introducing new tech to folk with no experience, and with fear in their eyes, has been to get them an iPad. A few basic lessons and most will manage. This is just my opinion, and I have no statistics to justify that opinion, but I could relate outcomes of iPad use that changed lives for the better. Apologies, I have no experience with Samsung or other alternatives, so cannot compare with my anecdotal preference. And good luck with FIL!