Mom loves Bingo in assisted living, but she wants it every day
Dear Live Grand:
My mother lives quite happily in an excellent assisted living facility where they offer different activities. She thinks the music, art, and exercise are fine, but she loves Bingo and can’t understand why she can’t play it every day. I explain that the facility needs to please a lot of people and she seems to understand at the time, but she’s soon back to asking why it's not Bingo Day. Would a GrandPad come with Bingo? If so, could someone with moderate memory problems like mom play it? What else could she do with this tablet? – DP
Dear DP:
Like any age group, older adults have varied interests so as you noted, care facilities rightly offer a mix of activities. Your mom needn’t be left wanting, though. GrandPad not only offers Bingo but games such as hearts, four-in-a-row, tick-tac-toe, and tiles, as well.
This tablet is designed for people like your mom, so she’d navigate it easily. She’d love the large icons and comfortable screen. Should she have a question, she could tap her Help button and her personal representative would cheerfully assist her in getting back on track. She’d probably enjoy GrandPad’s game days and tournaments, too. There are prizes for most games played, most games won, and participation that make it extra engaging.
Our users also love the fun and interesting articles. Options like Cat of the Day, Dog of the Day, Health, Home and Garden Inspiration, and Crafts all update regularly, as does GrandPad’s own newsletter. Your mom could build her personal list by clicking the Add to Favorites button on the article’s page. That way she can go back later and read them again.
Of course, she’d love the Photos app – everyone does! The family admin would simply upload photos and videos to her GrandPad and they’d be ready to view.
The video chats are just as easy. If she’d like to call someone, she’d simply tap her Call app and then the call button by their picture. She’d answer a call by touching Answer.
Listening to music is not only entertaining but has been shown to be good for the brain. Whether your mom prefers country, rock, or Christian, the choices are ready for her. She could easily create her own Music Collection, too.
The Radio app would provide music as well as talk regarding topics of interest to people of her generation. There are pre-sets like GrandPad Radio that feature both. The popular Radio Recliner option is another hit with people in retirement living since it’s hosted by individuals in similar circumstances. If your mom already has a favorite station, the family admin could add that as an additional option.
Studies have shown that people can preserve their cognitive abilities longer when they have convenient access to mental challenges like those offered by GrandPad. We’re convinced that while your mom would love playing Bingo daily, she’d also be thrilled to discover the many other interesting options available on her GrandPad tablet.
Live Grand is a weekly column brought to you by GrandPad — the simplest, safest tablet-based solution that helps reconnect families.