Tablet or laptop for elderly parent? Update post 48 :).

[robinb]

My mom is in her mid-70's and wants a device to get onto the internet. She used to use WebTV back in the day where she had a small keyboard and used her TV as her monitor. That was years ago. My sister thinks she should get a tablet but I think she needs so something with a keyboard for easy typing. Now I am starting to think my sister is right (and you know how hard it is to admit that, LOL). My mom is a bit clumsy and I suspect that she will spill pop on the device at one time or another so I'm thinking that something with a sturdy waterproof cover might be best.

What do you think would be best for an elderly parent?

 

[DaretoDis]

My mom is in her mid-70's and wants a device to get onto the internet. She used to use WebTV back in the day where she had a small keyboard and used her TV as her monitor. That was years ago. My sister thinks she should get a tablet but I think she needs so something with a keyboard for easy typing. Now I am starting to think my sister is right (and you know how hard it is to admit that, LOL). My mom is a bit clumsy and I suspect that she will spill pop on the device at one time or another so I'm thinking that something with a sturdy waterproof cover might be best.

What do you think would be best for an elderly parent?

Why not get both with one of the ASUS T100 Transformers, or other brand. It's a laptop with a detachable screen so you can use it as a tablet.

 

[Sandy321]

If you can afford it I'd go with a MacBook Air - we got my mil an iPad with a keyboard and she does struggle with it - she wanted something small, and we got her lessons, but she still gets upset with the touch part of it (She tried to purchase something from QVC - a first for her, trust me! and she kept touching the screen and nothing happened, it frustrated her, I did explain that I thought it was QVC having high volume at that time, and went in and together she purchased the item.... it was tedious, but not as frustrating...

I'd go with apple as they have less issues with viruses (at this time anyway!) and they tend to hold up a bit longer than the lower price versions that I've heard...

 

[ktlm]

My Mom is 79 and has never owned an actual computer, but she LOVES her IPAD. She loves several of the apps, including some game apps. She uses it to connect to the internet and for E-mail. She doesn't want anything else.

 

[emldrl]

I personally am dying to get a Surface Pro-the tablet with the detachable keyboard- they look so cool. I hate my laptop! They also have smaller laptops that flip around so they can be a tablet or traditional laptop. I know I'm not your target age, but I'm NOT tech savvy at all. My parents are very early 60's, and they recently got I phones. They seem to manage them well enough, so maybe an apple product? I have an ipod that does everything but make calls, and it's easy to use. Good luck!

 

[havaneselover]

My mom is 71. About 5 years ago she got a laptop. She used it a little. Maybe three years ago she got an ipad. She uses that all the time and hasn't touched the laptop since. And we're all ipad/iphone users so we can help her. My parents even got Iphones this summer and she imessages which is huge : )

You can get a decent keyboard case.

If you or your sister are apple users, she would be able to Facetime.

 

[danygirl]

My parents have a desktop. A lapto and iPads. My mom uses the desktop - bigger screen and bigger better keyboard and she uses the iPad to
Play games
Surf
Facebook
Watch tv when she is waiting to see the doctor, etc
Look at photos

She can carry the iPad in her purse and the laptop was too bulky for that

 

[robinb]

Thanks everyone! My family has Apple devices (iPad mini, iPhones x 3) but Windows computers. My sister's family are all on Androids because of cost. My sister's family lives with my mom to provide for her everyday care. I would go with a larger iPad but I think the learning curve might be too much for my sister who will have to help my mom.

So can anyone suggest an Android tablet? Cost is important and I'd like to keep it under $300 if possible.

 

[wenrob]

I think it depends on the individual. My parents are 64 and seem to do better with desktop/laptops. Both have iPhones but every time I go over I have to give iPhone "lessons," update the iOS, put things on, take them off etc. I'm showing them the exact same things over and over. iPhones IMO are very intuitive and easy to use but because they assume it's complicated, they make it complicated for themselves. Laptops/Desktops, rarely an issue unless they somehow got a virus or it stops working then they call my hubby in. (Usually something simple like its unplugged. True story!) My stepmother does have an iPad mini, she's got the FaceTime thing down and about 80% of the time I can talk her through getting something on there but she uses her laptop way more.

Anyway, I think it depends on their personality, if they're open to learning new things, kwim? My parents find it easier to have me do it rather than learn it, which is okay, I don't mind but take your own patience level into consideration when making the choice.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

If you can afford it I'd go with a MacBook Air - ....

I completely disagree. Talk about overkill! You'd be buying way too much computer and spending too much money for something which would be used just for Internet browsing.

OP, I'd go for a small, reasonably priced laptop over a tablet. It would be much easier for typing. No drinks near the keyboard would solve the spilling problem. If you do go for a tablet, you can get a keyboard to go with it.

I am a little surprised so many posters here think 60-70 years olds can't use computers!

 

[Gigi22]

I completely disagree. Talk about overkill! You'd be buying way too much computer and spending too much money for something which would be used just for Internet browsing.

OP, I'd go for a small, reasonably priced laptop over a tablet. It would be much easier for typing. No drinks near the keyboard would solve the spilling problem. If you do go for a tablet, you can get a keyboard to go with it.

I am a little surprised so many posters here think 60-70 years olds can't use computers!

Agreed! There seems to be a lot of ageism creeping into this discussion. We had computers at work from the mid-80s, now this was a govt. office and we were far from cutting-edge! My assumption would have to be that if someone was an office worker in recent years, they should have basic computer skills. The skills may be rusty, but the basic knowledge should be there.

 

[havaneselover]

Agreed! There seems to be a lot of ageism creeping into this discussion. We had computers at work from the mid-80s, now this was a govt. office and we were far from cutting-edge! My assumption would have to be that if someone was an office worker in recent years, they should have basic computer skills. The skills may be rusty, but the basic knowledge should be there.

It just depends on the person's desire to embrace technology.

My dad programmed computers in the early 60s and has a PhD in economics. He won't go near an IPad and constantly has computer problems. And the calls we get about the DVR are comical.

Some people are capable, but make little effort or have no desire to keep up with technology.

 

[robinb]

No drinks near the keyboard would solve the spilling problem. If you do go for a tablet, you can get a keyboard to go with it.

Unfortunately, the no-drinks thing won't happen. My mom spends most of her time in bed (her choice) and she always has a can of pop nearby. A tablet in a sturdy waterproof case would be ideal. I think I will get her a bluetooth keyboard so she can type on it since I think that will be easier than trying to type on the screen.

One other thing that just occurred to me is that my 14-year old autistic nephew routinely destroys laptops. He doesn't mean to, but he gets excited while playing his games and moves the screen back and forth and the hinge breaks. I would not want that to happen to my mom's laptop ... this is where a sturdy waterproof case comes in handy again.

FWIW, my mom never worked with computers at work. She was an RN and phlebotomist before she was disabled in her late 50's. The closest she ever got to working with a computer was her WebTV and then she used that to "invest" in Beanie Babies on eBay .

 

[wenrob]

It just depends on the person's desire to embrace technology.

My dad programmed computers in the early 60s and has a PhD in economics. He won't go near an IPad and constantly has computer problems. And the calls we get about the DVR are comical.

Some people are capable, but make little effort or have no desire to keep up with technology.

Exactly. Heck my 44yr old sister refused to embrace modern technology until very recently. In the case of my parents it's not that I think they can't do it, I know they can, it's that they just don't want to. It's much easier to have me or my husband do it. That's not ageism that's fact. FWIW they both worked in the restaurant industry and retired before computers were in every household and used in every business.

 

[disney1990]

Unfortunately, the no-drinks thing won't happen. My mom spends most of her time in bed (her choice) and she always has a can of pop nearby. A tablet in a sturdy waterproof case would be ideal. I think I will get her a bluetooth keyboard so she can type on it since I think that will be easier than trying to type on the screen.

One other thing that just occurred to me is that my 14-year old autistic nephew routinely destroys laptops. He doesn't mean to, but he gets excited while playing his games and moves the screen back and forth and the hinge breaks. I would not want that to happen to my mom's laptop ... this is where a sturdy waterproof case comes in handy again.

FWIW, my mom never worked with computers at work. She was an RN and phlebotomist before she was disabled in her late 50's. The closest she ever got to working with a computer was her WebTV and then she used that to "invest" in Beanie Babies on eBay .

If spills are a problem, I would go with an iPad in an Otter box to protect it. DH and & are 64 and 69. We have a laptop and an iPad. I can't say I prefer one over the other. I like the iPad for when we travel.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Agreed! There seems to be a lot of ageism creeping into this discussion. We had computers at work from the mid-80s, now this was a govt. office and we were far from cutting-edge! My assumption would have to be that if someone was an office worker in recent years, they should have basic computer skills. The skills may be rusty, but the basic knowledge should be there.

My almost 82 YO Mom is getting an iPad Air 2 for Christmas, to replace her first generation iPad. She uses it more than their Macs. She was a pre-school teacher and never used computers at work, but loves using the internet for shopping, e-mail and facebook.

On the other hand, my grandmother passed away several years ago at 99 without ever using a computer or mobile phone. -- Suzanne

 

[ktlm]

Does she have a smart phone already? If she does, is it an iphone or a droid? I ask because you mentioned you were planning on getting a droid as your sister is there to help her. DH and I are an iphone family, and the first little tablet we got DD was droid based, and we about threw it out the window because it was not user intuitive to us based on what we were used too. (I also learned not to get a "kid" version of a tablet based on that waste of money- DD now has a mini ipad which gets used all the time, as opposed to that droid kiddie thing that barely ever got used). If she has a smart phone and it is a droid- then I think droid is probably the tablet for her. If she has a smart phone and it is an iphone, I would stick to ipad. If she doesn't have an iphone- you are probably right to stick with the droid that your sister can help with.... if they are user friendly. To me they aren't, but maybe if you haven't had anything else they would be?


My Mom doesn't even own a smart phone. In fact, her phone is so old it doesn't even have a camera on it. She does good with her ipad. Do they have wireless in the house, so they don't have to pay a montly fee for service? The ipads that are wifi only are alot cheaper than the ones that can use wifi or a data plan. If she only uses it in the house and isn't taking it with here anywhere, that should be enough if they have wifi. That is what we got DD-she occasionally complains that the only thing she can use if she takes it out of the house are the game apps, but she can deal with it. Mom, we had to get a data plan because she does not have wifi or a computer in her house at all.

 

[robinb]

Does she have a smart phone already? If she does, is it an iphone or a droid? I ask because you mentioned you were planning on getting a droid as your sister is there to help her. DH and I are an iphone family, and the first little tablet we got DD was droid based, and we about threw it out the window because it was not user intuitive to us based on what we were used too. (I also learned not to get a "kid" version of a tablet based on that waste of money- DD now has a mini ipad which gets used all the time, as opposed to that droid kiddie thing that barely ever got used). If she has a smart phone and it is a droid- then I think droid is probably the tablet for her. If she has a smart phone and it is an iphone, I would stick to ipad. If she doesn't have an iphone- you are probably right to stick with the droid that your sister can help with.... if they are user friendly. To me they aren't, but maybe if you haven't had anything else they would be?

No, my mom doesn't have a smart phone. My sister's family all have droids so that's what I'm leaning toward for the very reasons you mention.

 

[Lynne G]

I think my friend who's a computer nut likes ASUS laptops. Seems some are on sale today at Amazon. They use windows operating system. Most of the basic ones are under $500.

Hope this helps. I can't even get my mom to use her cell phone most of the time.

 

[NotUrsula]

Shop around; you should be able to get a 10" Galaxy Tab for $250 or less. Put it in a waterproof case and add a rubberized bluetooth keyboard and you will be in business. A charging stand might be a nice added feature, so that she doesn't have to futz with keeping track of cords.

The keyboard will be tricky if she would want a waterproof hardshell that she could put on her lap. Most of them are still not bluetooth, or if they are, are minis. There are a few tablets out there that have USB ports, but they are rare.