When visits aren’t enough: Grandma in assisted living feels lack of phone calls

Dear Live Grand:

My grandmother has made friends in her assisted living facility but unfortunately, it’s the friends who are unintentionally causing problems. The ladies brag at mealtime about how many phone calls they receive. My family visits Grandma several times a week but now she’s become obsessed with this phone call competition. We’ve intentionally avoided calling before since she gets confused when she can’t see the person she’s talking to, and cell phones, in general, are too complicated for her. Do you think that she could use GrandPad’s video calling feature? – WL

Dear WL:

It’s kind of you to be involved with your grandma and acknowledge her social needs. We can see why she wants to be part of her tablemates’ discussions about phone calls and a GrandPad can make that happen.

As with all things GrandPad, video/audio calls are made super simple for the user. The family admin would add family and friends to her Contacts app so she’d see their image when they called, and then she’d simply touch Answer. To place a call, she’d choose the person she wanted from the photos in the Calls app and press Call. Since everyone who can call her is added to her contacts by the family admin, there would be no spam or junk calls to worry about.

Why not set up a calling schedule with her family and friends so that each person would have a day or time to call? A schedule would provide your grandma with a variety of calls and make it easier for the family in the process.

Video calls, of course, are only one way that your grandma would enjoy owning a GrandPad.

The size of the tablet’s screen and lack of confusing background “tech clutter” are vital components. Large icons in unique colors help make the user’s experience comfortable. Since the tablets offer built-in 4G-enabled cellular service, there’s no need to remember passwords, and they are kept charged by simply laying them on the included cradle.

She’d be able to enjoy a variety of music within the Music app and use the Radio app for even more music as well as for engaging talk and entertainment. The Games app offers choices like Hearts and Tic-Tac-Toe and the Articles app would provide her with fun topics like crafts, jokes, and pets to explore.

Should she have a question, she’d just tap her HELP button. Her friendly member experience agent would help her get back on track, and the best part is that these helpers are available 24/7, 365 days a year.

How can all of this enhance your grandma’s social life? Envision her taking her GrandPad along when she goes to lunch so that she could show her friends the family pictures or share the Laugh of Day or a craft tip from her GrandPad Articles app!

With a GrandPad your grandma would feel more connected to her family as well as at the top of her social game during lunch and group activities.

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