Grandfather still active but has morning disorientation

Dear Live Grand:

My grandfather, 82, is a former teacher who lives in a retirement apartment, though he’s on a list for assisted living. He’s doing well enough except that he wakes up confused about days and times of day. Calendars and clocks haven’t helped. The family tries to include him as much as we can, but he’s hard of hearing and dislikes being in groups. I know a little about the GrandPad, yet I’m uncertain. Is this a good option for him? – KJ

Dear KJ:

You’re smart to be looking for a solution to your grandfather’s disorientation because confusion like that can start off his whole day negatively. For some older adults, not having enough to interest them can cause this type of forgetfulness, but others simply need help remembering the details, especially after sleep. Either way, a GrandPad could help.

There’s a lot to love about a GrandPad, but we’ll start with the orientation problem. All GrandPads come with a flap cover that can put the tablet to sleep. If your grandfather leaves the flap up, he’ll see a slide show that begins with telling him what day it is, what time it is including a.m. and p.m., as well as the month and date. This is all in large, clear, print with no clutter.

The slide show will move along at a soothing pace to show him the photos of his family as well as the weather and again, time of day. He can let his personal slide show repeat as long as he wants or close the flap when he wants to end it.

This alone would be a great comfort to him, but we also want to tell you about other features that will keep him engaged in life. With the tablet, he’d be able to easily start or answer video chats with the family. If they are calling from GrandPad Central on their computer, they can even use Live Texting to clarify what’s being said.

The family admin can upload images and videos from gatherings so that he wouldn’t have to wait until someone visits to feel included. He’d be able to join Zoom calls just by touching a couple of buttons, listen to music that he’s enjoyed in the past, play all kinds of games, and listen to his list of customized radio stations.

Two stations already integrated into the GrandPad experience are GrandPad Radio with music and talk and Radio Recliner, which has shows hosted by DJs who live in retirement communities. As a former teacher, he’d also enjoy the Articles app, with stories about Historical conflicts, Nature, NASA, Current Events, and history.

We’re certain that if your grandfather gets used to his own tablet while he’s still in his familiar environment his move to assisted living will be smoother. His easy connections with family and friends, his familiar family photos, and his apps that provide ready engagement should help him stay oriented, as well. We’d love to hear what he enjoys the most!

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