Computer averse great-grandparents can’t join family for July 4th
Dear Live Grand:
My great-grandparents are in their early-80s and live in a retirement community which they love, but they are far from family. All my dad’s attempts to help them become computer-literate have failed. The whole family has “seen” them through Zoom during the pandemic because they have a kind neighbor who has assisted by bringing over his laptop, but he’s moving at the end of July. I want to share my toddlers’ first fireworks experience with them through Zoom and thankfully the neighbor will help with that. More importantly, though, I want them to continue to enjoy family celebrations and connections after their neighbor leaves. They’ve tried several tablets before and hate them. Would a GrandPad be any better? – PY
Dear PY:
It’s thoughtful of you to expand on your dad’s attempts to include your grandparents in family festivities! We’re here to help you do that by emphatically saying that yes, a GrandPad will not only help your family communicate with your great-grandparents but their using one will become an ongoing aid to their happiness and wellbeing.
While their neighbor will assist with this July 4th celebration, you’ll have future gatherings with extended friends and family, so let’s start by talking about Zoom. Access to Zoom via GrandPad is simple. It takes only the touch of a large icon, then typing in a few numbers and they’re on the call. Unlike other tablets, the GrandPad’s keypad is large enough for arthritic fingers and/or poor eyesight. Enhancing life for people with challenges is GrandPad’s specialty.
Close friends and family can be added to your great-grandparents’ safe call list through the family admin tool. Then, by touching the button next to someone’s picture they can engage in a video call.
Most people know that it takes some work to keep the brain sharp, but everyone wants to have fun while doing so. GrandPad makes this happen. Touch one of the large, uniquely colored icons to play memory games, solitaire, bridge, or bingo, plus challenge games like word search and tick-tack-toe. In fact, we can see your great-grandparents each having a GrandPad so they can not only play games alone, but also against each other!
Music is great for reminiscing. With their tablet, they can listen to select radio stations and even build their own favorites list of big band music or 40s and 50s classics. If either of them has hearing or vision problems, rest assured that their GrandPad is designed to work with those challenges.
We’d suggest ordering a GrandPad soon and then asking their neighbor to complete the simple setup before he leaves since they’ll take to it faster if it’s ready-to-use. The neighbor can walk them through the beautifully displayed, easy-to-use options, and then enjoy watching them make that first, glorious video call on their own!
Once your great-grandparents see this magic happen, they will be on board. Their ability to communicate with friends and family will not only help them stay safer but enjoy life more.
Live Grand is a weekly column brought to you by GrandPad — the simplest, safest tablet-based solution that helps reconnect families.