Using Ipad

Hi Junie,

Okay. Your Mom does not have a computer. Is your computer near hers or is it a laptop that that you can bring back and forth to her to sync, etc. You'll then be able to sync her ipad. Never sync on any other computer. She could be locked out of her ipad for 90 days.

Wireless mobile routres do exist, but they're sort of expensive and not perfect, and they're limited to reading boks, watching movies, and music. Once she learns more, she'll want ot do more.

Also, you will have 90 days of phone support from Apple. They're great. And for acessibility questions, you can call their specially trained support staff with questions.

Does she have a cable modem to watch tv? That's important because she will need it to get an internet connection from her cable company so that she can set up and use a wireless router because otherwise, the ipad will be useless to her.

This internet connection is necessary (and not free.) Hopefully, some whiz will read this and say otherwise, but I did a lot of research because though my father-in-law is all set up with cable and internet, it took many phone calls an a couple of days to learn that he actually has a cable modem and did need a wireless router (can also be done through internet company but at a monthly cost.) It is a lot less expensive to buy one and set it up. They're pretty much plug and play these days. (Often, a cable company might be give you a discount on the monthly cost. Just go to the top. Call weekdays during the work week, 9 to 5 ish. )

Oh, great that you can do pictures. If done right, many can e-mail them to you. Does she still have friends from forever ago, where they or their children can send you pictures of your dad and her and old friends? Load your comuter with her old music cds that she might like to hear as she reads (set up sharing on i-tunes - you can make her a playlist.) What a great slide show with music that would be!

Can you get back to me on this cable subject when you have time?

Thanks!

Hi Junie,

How are you and your Mom doing with her new ipad? I hope it's going great for both of you. If you learn any new things that she can do with the ipad, it'd be great if you let us know.

When you post it would be great if you start a new thread and in the title you say something like "Using ipad with elderly Mom" so more people can read it who have similar needs and maybe they can learn from you and people who participate in your thread.

And remember, no matter where you bought the ipad, you get 90 days of free phone support. Our experiences with them showed they were patient (they'll walk you through anything,) knowledgeable, and articulate.

So, again, how is it going for both of you?

Hi Junie,

I understand how some of our parents are slower in most aspects than we ever thought they could be. We are blesssed to have them longer in this generation, but with that come so many issues and illnesses that were not common in previous generations. We are now parenting our parents, which is not easy, at least emotionally, but if we're happy to do it, and watch them get 'better' in many ways and improve their quality of life - priceless.

I had looked last month for a way to increase the size of the icons on the screen. To use bigify you need to install cydia, where, except for one kid on youtube, all said installing it is jailbreaking and that's the last thing you want given it will void the warranty and you will not be helped by Apple phone support or anything else.

If you read my post on the previous page, VoiceOver might help her. But before that, make a folder and put all the unused apps in there to clear the screen and dock and have only the few she'll use up there - safari, ibooks, facetime, iphoto, itunes, etc. and let voiceover do the searching for her.

Read this, as we both know the discussion needs to be kept out there.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3781952?answerId=22224458022#22224458022&ac_cid=tw123456#22224458

You're doing a great thing for your Mom, even though, it might cause her some frustration (and you possibly feeling sad and defeated) in the beginning! So take baby steps and take care of yourself, too.

I'm sending a separate message to you next. I hope you'll want to get it up here by tonight, when I think I can get back here.

Hi Junie,

You know how I asked if you'd start a thread being more specific? Here's why. Your original question simply said "Using ipad?" That was a very open question, and so many who might have overlooked it might have been able to learn or to help with options for using ipad for the elderly with needs, etc.

In my post (immediately above) one single thread garnered over 25,000 views!!! That's pretty amazing! So if you start a new thread and call it "How helpful is ipad for elderly with needs, dimentia and alzheimer's patients, and elderly just trying to keep in contact with family?" I think more people will open it. Heck, capitalize the word ELDERLY. It will be interesting to see what happens, hopefully for good.

Just start by explaning that your Mom just got an ipad...issues... then open another window, find this thread, and from the top copy and paste the discussions.apple... It will hopefully send readers to this thread.