Most simple device for Facetime chat for elderly

[ajandjjmum]

This isolation is going on, and we have three elderly relatives who would really benefit from a simple phone or tablet, with two buttons when they open it - one for Facetime and one for calls.

On the basis that nothing like this has been invented yet, has anyone got any ideas of anything simple and effective, to be used by 80+ year olds who are completely computer illiterate? And we obviously can't sit down and explain to them.

Be really grateful for any recommendations or experience.

An iPhone with everything else uninstalled. Swipe/home to open, call and FaceTime on page, hide everything else you can't uninstall in a folder.

Have exactly the same dilemma! Also need mobile broadband as our relative has no internet. But I think I could work that out.

Has anyone used that Facebook. ' Portal' thingy? would that be a possibility?

Right now there is a massive gap in the market to get these oldies who are not online onto face time/ video calling etc

If they have internet the Portal is really simple and much better than FaceTime . We don’t use it via Facebook just WhatsApp as my sister isn’t on Facebook . We found that FaceTime wouldn’t connect properly or hold a connection even though we all have super fast broadband but the portal is fine .

God, not an iphone. Way too fiddly. I will check the brand of the one we got for mum...I thi k Doro or somesuch. Designed for the elderly. She Tweets, whatsapps, takes whatsapp face calls and does Facebook on it. She is 85

I know they really struggle with iphones - they have never managed with ours.

Be really interested to hear about the one designed for the elderly dementedma.

They don't have internet - another problem to overcome!

Yes doro smart phone. If you search doro phone for elderly, you will see options.

I got one for mother in law, she uses whatsapp and phone. That's all. The only problem is she still turns it off after every call to save its battery but she has been better at not doing that recently.

She was a complete tech phob and has managed very well with it.

an ipad with 4g sim card.
un-install/hide everything not needed.
set it up and hand it over in person if you can.

the app itself doesn't matter ime but facetime is restricted to apple users, whats app or similar might be better.

@woodencoffeetable that sounds like an idea. This is going to sound really stupid but if it's a 4g sim card does that mean they don't need internet?

@sleepingpup That's right, they'll get the Internet over the 4G SIM.

You can lock an iPad up so it only shows one app -
stayntouch.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/6000114247-ipad-guided-access-kiosk-mode-

My mil can’t read or speak English and has arthritis and still managed to figure out the iphone / ipad without much help. It can be customised so only the calling and facetime app is visible (if that’s what you want) and it can be unlocked with just a scan of the face / tap of the thumb.

We have had the same issue. I bought my 90 yr old gran a fire but she couldnt manage it. They she was sent an old ipad but it is too old to have voice commands. She can’t swipe because she is so shaky.

An iphone would be the simplest as they can literally say hey siri face time connie and it connects.

My dh saw the amazon echo show might work.

thanks @TheHighestSardine. Light at the end of the tunnel!

@sleepingpup with 4g & sim card the iad work just like a smart phone. only bigger

thanks  @woodencoffeetable I'm getting excited to get this going for my MIL.

Thank you so much for all of the help/suggestions. Good to see I'm not the only one struggling!

Another thicko question. Is all I would need a 4G sim card - with the appropriate amount of data? What amount of data would be sensible for someone who would use the system for Whatsapp/FT only, not for surfing the internet?

Thank you again.

was just thinking that.

A FaceTime call uses at worst about 3MB of data per minute, which adds up to about 180MB of data per hour. A 1GB per month wireless data plan used exclusively for making FaceTime calls means video chat for five hours each month. @sleepingpup

A locked down iPad - the current cheapest one is more than fine - is your best choice for standalone as long as there's decent 3G/4G signal to be had at theirs.

If you're lucky enough your atechnical relatives have access to wifi (which I know would be a surprising combination!), the Amazon Echo screens would be an even easier choice for them to use, I think.

Thank you so much TheHighestSardie - you've been really helpful.

We got a Portal for my 86yr old DM who literally cannot use a mobile phone. At the moment she can only use it if I am on the landline telling her what to do, but we have had a few successful calls.
I had to set her up on FB as without a mobile number you can't use whatsapp. I had to then arrange it so that her homescreen is her list of contacts, hoping that she will catch on to just pressing someone's name to call them.
We're not really there yet, but it's better than anything else we've tried so far.

yesThanks @TheHighestSardine So great to have this explained by a pleasant adult and not have to question surly teen.

Know the feeling sleepingpup - DD is always SOOO busy!

We got an Echo Show for my mil and it is so easy. We use the Alexa app on our phones to drop in and all she has to do is make a noise and the call connects. We can also put photos on the background remotely which she loves.
Looking at her use I can see she has figured out how to play Cliff Richard as well

Gosh, it's been a while since I got accused of being a pleasant adult! Must be all this lockdown :)