Help parents with no wifi!

[Sometimeswinning]

Does anyone have advice for me to help my parents stay in touch? They have no wifi/modem. Any experts in this out there? I've looked into dongles and routers. Not a clue!

Just use the phone. Who is planning to go over there to show then his to set up and use new tech with everything else going on right now?

Telephone, TV, radio, old skool

Just stick with the phone.

My in-laws don't have broadband either and they're in their seventies - we'll ring them as usual.

We can't go and see them anyway so who will get it all set up for them?

I also think the phone is enough, my dad is on his own and he much prefers speaking to me on the phone, He has a mobile phone and tablet but has never been a fan of FaceTime. He does email me though bless him. Phones are also better with hearing aids.

My nan has no internet access and to be honest she struggles to use and old brick type mobile phone. So we are sticking to just phonecalls that she seems happy with.

Landline. I doubt now is the time to get them using small buttons and complicated kit.
I had a large button mobile for my late mum. She switched it off when she went out because she only needed to "for emergencies ". When she had a health emergency when out, she forgot about it. It had a panic button that she hit by mistake once.
Stick to what they know - the phone and the TV and call them loads.

There are these things called landlines😁. I have Luddite parents they are young and in their sixties but won't entertain technology.

My mum has asked her neighbour if she could occasionally use their WiFi. It will be such a tiny amount of data for the occasional WhatsApp pic or video chat, she's offered him free jars of jam and cat-sitting in exchange.

I took masses of screenshots and printed instructions for my Nana as I live 2 hours away. She forgets easy so following the pictures is easier than her needing to ask other relatives to call in.
Make it task related. Make a call, watch a film etc

Not stupid Frankie it's about thinking outside the box. If you live like most people did 20 years ago it's helpful to think about how people would have solved the problem 20 years ago.

My parents are the same. In their eighties and they don't believe in computers or other technology at all and say they just don't need or want it (though are happy to ask my sister or I to look stuff up for them).

A landline phone call is the only way for us. Their landline phone is about the most technologically advanced gadget in their house. I will be phoning them later today.

@Topseyt same for us. I think I'm feeling a bit desperate. Everyone saying at least theres Skype, facetime etc. I'm still sending pictures via txt to my dad! At least I have the phone!

Do they know the neighbours well at all. My next door neighbour has no WiFi so I've told her to use ours and given her the password. It's not something I'd normally do but these aren't normal times!

I’m just sticking to phone. Once a week I might upgrade to sitting in her garden so she can see me!

@AmIAWeed that's a fabulous idea! I'm going to task DD to create a visual guide for her Nannie.

I would do whatever they are happy with - so phone them up, send a text or get kids to write a letter. It sounds like you can send a text too? I don't see the need to FaceTime?

OP, my parents don't even do text. Landline or nothing. Occasionally snail mail.

They have an old brick of a mobile phone which they very rarely even turn on. I even had to remind them that they had it once when they were having an intermittent fault on their landline.

Does the next door neighbour have a network they could piggyback with a cheap tablet?

get stamps,