Relatives do not always live in the immediate vicinity, so smartphones and tablets are very useful for staying in touch with the family. But especially for seniors, the technical aids represent a major challenge.
Nowadays, more and more children are growing up with mobile devices, so they are often even more familiar with the latest technology than their own parents. For grandparents, on the other hand, smartphones and tablets are something completely alien, which many of them do not feel up to – and therefore do not make use of. The functionality seems too complicated for them, and for some the prices are too high. Not to mention operating a touchscreen, which is anything but easy for seniors. But especially when it comes to contacting children, grandchildren or friends (which is certainly even more difficult in Corona times than before), tablets are a practical solution for older people. Especially since there are also devices that were specially developed for seniors: such as the Media4Care. You can find out what advantages a mobile PC offers and what you should pay attention to when purchasing it as follows.
These are the benefits of a tablet for seniors
When grandparents don’t have the opportunity to visit their loved ones, a tablet is the best solution to see their family live via video chat. Because in contrast to a smartphone, the mobile PC has a much larger display, which is a real advantage for older people with bad eyesight. In addition, the usability is easier because the apps are easier to recognize. And that’s not all: A tablet for seniors offers older people meaningful employment opportunities for a varied everyday life.
Media4Care tablet for seniors – briefly explained
Out of love for his grandfather, who was suffering from dementia, Marc Engels developed a senior-friendly tablet: Media4Care. The device, which is equipped with simple communication functions, is primarily intended to simplify video telephony, sending and receiving messages and pictures for older people. This is made possible by particularly large tiles on the display that are easy to use. In addition to a comprehensive collection of over 700 memory-boosting games and puzzles preinstalled on the tablet, age-appropriate fairy tales, videos and music can be found on the device. According to the manufacturer, the video telephony program specially developed for this tablet should be particularly easy to use. This gives seniors the opportunity to get in touch with friends and relatives. But that’s not all Media4Care has to offer. The biggest advantages that differentiate the tablet for seniors from conventional devices include the following:
You can find out more about this topic directly from the manufacturer, where you can also take out additional equipment insurance in the event of damage and receive regular software and security updates for the Media4Care.
Tablet for seniors: you should pay attention to this
In addition to the Media4Care, there are of course other tablets that were not specially developed for seniors, but are still suitable for older people. In addition to the question of price, you should pay particular attention to ease of use when purchasing. It is also important that the font can be enlarged and the microphone amplified – because especially when it comes to seeing and hearing in old age, many seniors are already significantly more restricted than young people.
You should also make sure that your tablet is equipped with a SIM card slot if you want a mobile internet connection when you’re on the go. Otherwise, it must at least be internet-capable via a WiFi connection. If the mobile PC is to be used primarily for video telephony with friends and family members or caregivers, a front and rear camera are required. The operating system (iOS or Android) is irrelevant.
Last but not least, seniors need the help of their family when acquiring an ordinary tablet. Although most devices also have pre-installed apps, when it comes to communication channels such as Skype or WhatsApp, these first have to be installed on the mobile device after purchase. Here it is easier for everyone involved if older people only get the tablet once all the apps have been downloaded and clearly listed on the display.
And two more tips at the end: To make it easier for seniors to get started, there are easy-to-understand step-by-step instructions in book form. It can help older people to familiarize themselves with the topics of telephoning, emailing, surfing, photos, music, videos, WLAN and data protection. We also recommend purchasing a tablet stand so that you don’t have to hold the device with both hands all the time. Most models can be set individually, making it much easier to make phone calls and surf the web.
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