Mom was a competitive bridge player but now has memory loss

Dear Live Grand:

My mother, 84, was once a competitive bridge player but she’s experiencing memory loss that’s preventing her from being on top of her game. She could still play but she refuses because she doesn’t want others to see how she’s slipped. When we tell her that shouldn’t matter, she says she won’t “subject herself to such scrutiny.” We’ve tried an electronic tablet to help her play bridge online, but the technology confuses her and confusion makes her furious. Naturally, there are other problems, but this is the one that’s most upsetting for now. Could a GrandPad help? – LK

Dear LK:

Your mom’s inability to play bridge so intensely is probably affecting other aspects of her life so we’re happy to see you looking for options. With a GrandPad she could play her favorite card game with no fear of judgment since she will be playing against virtual opponents.

Most people with memory loss struggle with conventional technology but the GrandPad is different because it’s uniquely designed for someone like your mom. The apps are large and uniquely colored, and the arrangement is static. There’s no need to plug in the device, either. All she’d need to do is set it on the charger. This ease of use is what provides so much independence.

Since your mom seems to have strong opinions, it might help for you to purchase and set up her GrandPad in advance so that she doesn’t pre-judge it. The person the family chooses as admin could upload cherished photos. The admin would also add friends and family to her contact list ahead of time so that when she views her call list, she sees familiar faces.

When you’re ready to give your mom the GrandPad, begin by showing her how easy it is to view those pre-loaded photos so that she can enjoy a simple pleasure that has nothing to do with her memory loss.

Next, you could suggest that she make a call to one of her contacts, letting her know that others can easily be added.

After she’s had some fun with her tablet, casually tap the Games app for her and open the bridge option. Once she sees that, we’re betting that she won’t be able to stop herself from trying out a hand. We think she’s going to love it.

She’ll also see that there are more card games offered and since she seems to enjoy competing, she may even get so she wants to join in on some tournaments.

There’s a memory game that's specifically made to give the brain a workout. She’d be free to choose the difficulty so she could move up to harder levels if she wants. Word games and crosswords would be other fun ways to exercise her memory.

Owning a GrandPad won’t remove the frustration of your mom’s memory loss, but we do feel that she will see an opportunity to regain confidence not only in her ability to play bridge but in remaining independent longer.

Live Grand is a weekly column brought to you by GrandPad — the simplest, safest tablet-based solution that helps reconnect families.