Great gadgets for Seniors – keeping your parents and grandparents connected with tech

The idea that only the younger generation can enjoy the gadgets and gizmos on the market today is just madness. Some of the best uses for technology today are for the most experienced among us!

When I think about my mum, or the grandparents that are enjoying a quieter life but still need to have access to information, news and importantly people – I think Technology has a huge role to play.

Here’s a bunch of gadgets which I think are just awesome for our older generation.

Smart Speakers

Take an Amazon Echo Dot, Google Nest speaker or Apple HomePod Mini and you’re introducing the most advanced technology on the planet into the corner of your room.

While many people use them for smart home connection, turning on lights and controlling automations – forget that for a moment.

Think about the basics that are just awesome.

Ask a smart speaker;

• What’s the time?
• What’s the weather like today?
• Set a 20 minute timer
• Remind me tomorrow to call Trevor

Simple things like that, just game changers. Cooking timers, asking what the actual time is without having to see the clock. So simple.

• Google Nest
• Amazon Echo Dot Clock
• Apple HomePod Mini

Books and Magazines

Why are you going up to the book store? Love magazines but find them expensive these days, or hard to find?

E-Book readers like the Kobo and Kindle are amazing. Thousands of books at your fingertips, if you finish a book you can start a new one.

Going on holidays – take one device and there’s your whole book collection right there.

But then, let me introduce you to Readly. It’s like Netflix for Magazines. One subscription, all the magazines you want! On your tablet.

• Kobo Nia
• Kobo Clara 2E
• Kindle Paperwhite
• Kindle
• Readly

Smartphones and Smart Watches

There are plenty of devices that claim to be good for seniors, but let’s talk about phones and watches made genuinely for seniors.

Spacetalk has been making Kids Smartwatches for a while, very popular – simple to use and Aussie too! The Spacetalk Life is designed for seniors and allows for independence when some people might be worried about you.

Fall Detection, GPS location, 4G connectivity and a range of things like medication reminders and basic fitness tracking.

Then there’s the IQU Smarteasy Q50 Seniors phone. Works on 3G and 4G networks, has a 5.5 inch screen and isn’t just about software.

Yep, the home screen icons are big and easy to use, but there’s physical navigation buttons on it too – and if you’ve ever been on the phone trying to explain to your parents how to go back or home, this is a game changer folks.

Oh, and a great simple charging dock which means no fumbling to plug in a cord!

• Spacetalk Life
• IQU SmartEasy Q50

Connected Photo Frame

You wish your parents or grandparents could see all the photos of the kids growing up, the places you go and just share in family memories.

But they’re not on social media and don’t have a phone or know how to receive photos.

Simple – the Connected Photo Frame sits at their home, plugged into power and connected to a WiFi network.

Then on your phone, you choose a new photo and just “send it” to the frame.

You can add other participants too so other kids can also contribute, but it’s a great way of allowing Nan and Pop to see the grandkids as the grow.

• Home Life Technology – Connected Photo Frame

For the Visually Impaired

Here’s four things you might not have known existed but could be just great for your elderly relative. If they’re in a care home or nursing home, you can help make things easier for them too.

The Flipper TV remote simply takes away the complexity of a TV remote and makes it simple and easy to use.

Relish Radio is a simple DAB+ radio for metro areas that allows you to have three clear preset stations and even playlist of music on a USB stick too.

And for the visually impaired, the Blindshell Mobile is a void guided phone so they can call you with ease.

• Flipper TV Remote
• Relish Radio
• Robin Day Clock
• Blindshell Mobile