There’s always a motive to present a thoughtful present. If you’ve got a senior or two for your purchasing listing, how about something a touch unique this year? Instead of yet another container of fancy cleaning soap or aftershave, don’t forget a technology gift for state-of-the-art savvy seniors.
A Web Cam Means Happy Grandchildren
Give the grandparents the gift of visual and audio interaction with their youngsters and grandchildren. If Grandma and Grandpa don’t live next door, they’ll love the possibility to peer and speak with their grandchildren thru a Webcam. Most modern-day Webcams have a built-in microphone and may come optimized to be used with Windows Messenger or a few different IM devices. With expenses (at Amazon) varying from less than $30 to almost $three hundred, there may be a cam for each price range.
Remember that while some seniors may be capable and inclined to put in their cams themselves and find out how to use them on their very own, others can also require help. Include set up and a few training as part of the present within the latter case.
A Web Cam Means Peace of Mind
A wireless community digital camera may want to store the day in unique instances. For instance, Panasonic’s BL-C131A Network Camera Wireless 802. Eleven is promoted as a digicam that helps you display your pets, your house, or even your youngsters while you aren’t domestic.
You installation the digicam at any place, without having a nearby PC. Then, using logging on to an especially exact Internet website, you may take a look at the room from any PC or Internet-prepared cell smartphone or PDA. You can also regulate the digicam’s pointing course and its digital zoom thru the Web browser. The digital camera has an integrated microphone, in addition to a unique nighttime-view mode.
Consider this camera’s utility inside the case of a senior who lives on his own and can be in frail health. If you have ever frantically phoned Granddad’s pals to delight, take a look at him to make certain he’s OK; you’ll recognize the peace of mind this product ought to provide. With Granddad’s permission, you can install the digicam in his domestic and go online each time you were worried that he ought to need assist-say, a time whilst he becomes not responsive to smartphone or e-mail messages.
At near $three hundred, this wi-fi digital camera is most of the greater powerful merchandise of its kind to be had. Rather than a Webcam, you would also not forget the QuietCare System, a fitness-care device designed to assist seniors in living independently. This gadget uses a chain of pastime sensors to learn Granddad’s regular hobby around his home. When the machine notes a change in the sample, it notifies a call center or sends an e-mail alert or text message to a delegated birthday celebration.
Computer Glasses Aren’t a Pain inside the Neck.
Does the laptop-savvy senior for your lifestyles put on bifocals, trifocals, or modern-lens eyeglasses? These glasses aren’t optimized for viewing a pc reveal. When carrying such glasses on the pc, Grandma has to tilt her head backward to lose consciousness on the display screen when she is searching through the bottom a part of the lens. To positioned it mildly, this gives her a huge ache in the neck.
The suitable news is that it would not need to be this way. Grandma will experience her pc time a lot greater if you spring for a set of prescription laptop glasses. Contact your friendly optometrist and ask for information. Be sure to ask your eye-care professional about glare-resistant lenses, also very vital for computer users.
Keep Grandpa within the Loop With a DVD Player and Slide Show
Want something genuinely special for the senior within the circle of relatives who are shut-in or possibly dwelling in persevering with care facility? How approximately a small, portable DVD player and a unique own family slide display disc? Contact the extended family individuals and ask for digital images-both vintage and new. Compile your collection; flip it right into a slide display the usage of PowerPoint, Microsoft Plus! SuperPack for Windows XP or some other slide display software; and then burn it to a DVD. (If you use PowerPoint, you may need to encompass the loose PowerPoint viewer on the DVD).
Remember to add titles and captions to each image, so Grandpa knows what he’s looking at. You may also shoot a few videos, edit them, and send along a video manufacturing that your senior can watch in the privateness of his or her own room.
Portable DVD players range in fees from $30 to multiple hundred bucks. It would help if you made sure that the gadget you pick can play DVD+R/RW. Otherwise, there may be the handiest unhappiness when your house-recorded DVDs don’t play.
Give your senior a microphone with a headset (starting at around $20) or possibly a special Skype cell phone. Make certain that Grandma has assisted with the Skype software program installation, which may be intricate. Provided all events have a Skype account, Grandma can talk with everyone, regardless of in which they stay, freed from price, using the microphone or the Skype cell phone if she plans to phone a person who will be the use of a landline cellphone, buy her a Skype credit score or two costing about $14 each. Rates in step with minute vary, relying on the vicinity. For instance, a Skype call from Canada to a landline in Israel fee about $eight for thirty minutes.
Consider giving Grandpa the present of transportable music and newscasts. With an iPod or different similar tool, your senior would not need to miss their preferred newscast or different show whilst they walk across the community.
Audiobooks are especially appreciated in case your senior has difficulty studying because of failing eyesight. You would possibly do not forget to include a present certificate from iTunes or a service like Audible.Com, as an example, at the side of the media participant. At Audible.Com, you pay $7.49 for the first 3 months, then $14.Ninety-five in a while. According to month, your senior receives one downloaded audio e-book selected from the searchable database of around forty,000 titles.