With the winter months approaching, seniors in need of care don’t have many options for spending their free time. As the weather does not allow many outdoor activities, in many cases the only two options are watching TV and reading. Unfortunately, the writing in the books is tiny and watching TV does nothing for them except filling up their time. Have you ever thought about buying them a tablet?
I’m too old for a tablet
That’s probably the answer you got if you ever asked them directly. However, thanks to technological advances, modern tablets are intuitive and user-friendly. Just set them according to the user’s needs.
Increasing contrast and font size are two great things to start with. Once this step is complete, you can proceed as needed by the senior. If they have poor eyesight, you can install an app that will read the text on the screen aloud. If they are bedridden, you can buy a tablet stand so they don’t have to hold it all the time. The possibilities for customising the software are almost limitless!
Why is the tablet better than a TV?
When the person watches television, its only watching a tv. It´s not interactive. Most of the time you don’t even need to think. When using a tablet, it’s completely different. Just install a few games that stimulate cognitive abilities. It doesn’t matter if it’s a sudoku, a crossword or even a candy crush. Medical research shows that keeping a person’s mind active slows the effects of dementia and memory loss.
But that’s not all. With a tablet in their hands and a few short workouts, seniors can keep in touch with their friends and relatives who don’t live in the same household. Imagine how happy this can make them, especially in the colder months when it is harder to leave the house.
How is a tablet better than a book?
Let’s start with the fact that the tablet has the weight and size of a small book, but you can fit in it an entire library. Moreover, in many cases, even with reading glasses, the font size in books is usually too small for many seniors. In the case of a tablet, font size is a matter of personal preference.
Tablets and caregivers
If your family member needs a carer, having a tablet can also be a big help for both, the carer and the patient. Let’s say a patient needs help at night. With a few simple taps, they can call the carer at any time. Of course, you can achieve the same effect with a bell. Unlike the doorbell, you can take the tablet with you wherever you go and you don’t need a power cord connected to it all the time.
Since many carers are from abroad, the tablet can also be used for translating. No matter how advanced someone is in a foreign language, it is difficult to know or remember all the words and phrases that are used in everyday communication. Having a tablet at hand not only solves this problem, but also removes the concern that a language barrier between the carer and patient can impair the service provided.
Most seniors have to take medications for various diagnoses. No matter how hard the patient and carer try to remember everything, it is not so difficult to forget something now and then. Thanks to a few simple settings in the calendar, you can have a schedule for taking your medications on your tablet and never forget them again.
Choosing the right tablet
With so many options on the market, it is quite difficult to make a decision and be sure of your decision. We recommend buying a tablet that you are comfortable using, or at least choosing something with the same operating system as the devices you use. This will make it easier and faster to prepare all the necessary settings. In addition, it would be much more convenient for you to answer the many inevitable questions you will receive regarding the new device.
In summary, tablets are convenient and versatile devices that can not only make seniors’ leisure time more enjoyable, but also improve their fitness. You may have to spend some time preparing to teach your family member how to use it, but once you’ve done with that, the tablet will be a device they can’t imagine functioning without.
Have you ever had to teach an older family member to use a smartphone/tablet? What was the most interesting or fun moment of this process? Share it with us in the comments section below.
