Modern technologies like smartphones, computers, wearables, and the internet can be used in many ways that are very relevant for older adults. But they frequently are looking for help and advice on how to use the technology, how to choose it, and how to get it supported.Below you can hear our discussions, and share what we are learning about these topics.NOTE: Discussions about specific topics like Alexa or Apple Watch are found in other areas. Look under "Recommendations" in the top, main menu for things like Smarthome, Robotics and AI, or Medical Alerts, or if you are interested in video interactions you would look under Social isolation and Loneliness..
Amazon has a new “feature” in its Alexa artificial intelligence (AI) — called the Alexa Care Hub. It has the potential to help quite a lot in a situation where you are worried about, or caring for, someone who lives at a distance, and on whom you can not just “pop in” yourself — like your … Read more
Caption: The senior-friendly tablets we evaluated. L-R: GrandPad; Claris Companion; Oscar Family. This article is about a category of product marketed as “senior tablets“, or “tablets for seniors“. We think this type of product is very appropriate for a specific demographic. However there are many individuals who think of themselves as older adults, or “seniors”, who might … Read more
This series focuses on helping readers of all generations learn the fundamentals of scams, what scammers are after, how they use mail, email, mobile phones, tablets, and personal computers to steal your identity, your money, and even the Internet bandwidth you pay for every month to access the internet.
The information in this series on scams is intended to help you reduce vulnerability to scams for both you and loved-ones like parents, grandparents, etc. The key message is that to be forewarned is to be forearmed.
Learn how scams work, with examples. Because, the best protection against exploitation by scammers comes from having a general understanding of how people try to con the elderly into sending/wiring them money or worse, giving them the electronic keys to their financial kingdom.
If you understand your vulnerabilities, you will be alert to situations that put you or an aging parent at risk.
Here are some very specific actions you can take to avoid the sort of scams that impact older adults. This article also includes some easy-to-follow “spam avoidance rules”.
The Claris Companion is an example of a product category we call “Senior-friendly Tablets“. This in-depth review evaluates the Claris Companion’s individual features, and explores how well it works as a tool for non-tech-savvy older adults.
I wanted a solution that would let me and my sister (who lives far away) do some joint activities. We decided to try “joint watching” of a video. It worked rather well and we both enjoyed it, so I am sharing it here.
How do you keep your gadgets and computers working? Our explorers are talking about this topic, and comparing notes. Join the discussion. Share what you do in the comments below. Framing the Question: Back in the day, you could go to the Apple store, or get someone to drop in, or go to … Read more
Team Viewer is a piece of software that lets you take control remotely of someone else's computer.
As older adults develop physical and mental frailties, they sometimes have difficulty using products they want to be able to continue to use: such as the TV.
For example, physical impairments, like arthritis or tremor, may make it hard to press buttons. And cognitive impairments may make it hard for them to remember the way to navigate to a particular channel or streaming "show".