Elderly parent-proofing computers?

Is there a computer equivalent of this?

\

My dad is 80, and I've gotten him to the point where he can barely use a computer (whatever the latest Apple OS is) for checking email and going online. But he runs into/creates problems I've never even heard of. We live 2,000 miles apart, and trying to talk him through something like resetting his IP address or installing a new web browser is really hard.

Since he doesn't know any of the terminology, it's hard for him to explain what's happening. Example: Safari is "the compass" because that's what the icon looks like. He doesn't quite get what a window is, or how to successfully double-click stuff. He's not dumb. He has a Master's Degree and taught junior college for over 30 years. But part of the problem is that he lets the technology intimidate him.

I probably should have installed remote desktop software the last time I visited so I can just fix stuff myself, but that won't work if he's made some mistake and lost his network connection (which has happened). 

Any suggestions?

Does he have an iPhone, or anything with any sort of facetime like app?  If so, that's probably the easiest interim solution.  Call him, turn that on, and have him point the phone at the monitor so you can walk him through

With apple, can you take away permissions for a user like you can with MS?

I need to do that for the tv remote for my father. On second thought I should do that for mine as well lol. Just like new in new vehicles, overcomplication helps justify inflated prices. 

If there is some easy button for computers whether laptop or desktop, I’m all in.

Build a live DVD of whatever flavor of Linux you're comfortable with.  Every time it starts it will be just the way it was and it supports a large number of pieces of hardware out of the box.

Set the home page for the browser to be their email site of choice plus whatever other customizations are needed or desired and then save it.

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/build-bootable-linux-live-cd/

That said, customizing the Mac and putting a remote viewing software on it along with clearly printed notes next to it is often about the best you can do.

https://blog.johnkrauss.com/nonagenarian-laptop/

Would a Google Chromebook do what he needs? No real virus threats, web and email, inexpensive and holds a charge forever.

Will said:

My dad is 80, and I've gotten him to the point where he can barely use a computer (whatever the latest Apple OS is) for checking email and going online. But he runs into/creates problems I've never even heard of. 

At first, I thought my brother had signed up on this forum and was describing my dad! Then I reread and saw you said 80 yo, cant be. 

Good luck, I gave up and bought him an ipad. He still messes that up constantly. Its a lost battle for me. 

Will said:

 

I probably should have installed remote desktop software the last time I visited so I can just fix stuff myself, but that won't work if he's made some mistake and lost his network connection (which has happened). 

Any suggestions?

Go visit Pops again, and follow your own advice.  He'd probably be real happy to see you for a day or two.

can you make shortcuts on the desktop that go to email , facebook, search etc , so all he needs to do is click on the shortcut he wants?

Chromebook. Cheap, simple, low virus exposure, easily reset to factory settings.

Jitterbug now sells a simplified smart phone for senior citizens: https://www.greatcall.com/phones/jitterbug-smart-smartphone-for-seniors 

In reply to Will :

Once you figure it out would you explain to my family?  
I'm nearly 72 and I have more than  three decades of computers up in the attic.  I'm not afraid of technology. Back in 1985 I got a mobile  phone.  As new ones came out I kept up. first to get a digital etc etc 

I've Taken college courses on the subject, my wife makes her living at the leading edge of technology working in security  for the banking industry yet cannot waste her time educating me to do a lot of simple tasks. 
 

My grandmother, a really brilliant woman, born in 1888 never mastered driving a car, my grandfather  who did, couldn't understand transistor radios well enough to use one.  
 

I think as we age, past a certain point, technology  presents a bridge too far.  For example I think I understand the principle of Artificial Intelligence.  But operation and theory blows right over my head.  

Thanks, some good suggestions here so far.

Not sure a Chromebook is the answer because my dad dislikes Google to the point that, despite many, many, many urgings, he uses Bing as his search engine. I can see him refusing to touch anything from Google.

He doesn't have a smartphone, and I don't think he'd use one.

Desktop shortcuts: Apple is basically already there with the dock. Start computer, click on the compass, use internet.

The Linux thing is beyond me, much less him.

Next scheduled visit is Father's Day. Regardless of any other fix, I should do the remote desktop stuff then.

My dad was a draftsman and engineer and hand drew all his prints.  Said he was too old to learn computers.  
 

Picked up an iPad at age 80 and fell in love.  YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest.  He ended up teaching an iPad class to seniors where he lived.  
 

I use gotomeeting (you can use join.me, its free) to fix my fathers (he's 82). I just start a meeting, he shows his screen and gives me control. It's not perfect, but it's the best way I've found so far. 

The best computer for an older person (or even most other people) is an iPad.  Especially if they most only use email and the internet.

If it need to be larger, you can go with a pro.  You can even add a keyboard

MUCH harder to mess up then a computer.

aircooled said:

The best computer for an older person (or even most other people) is an iPad.  Especially if they most only use email and the internet.

If it need to be larger, you can go with a pro.  You can even add a keyboard

MUCH harder to mess up then a computer.

I came here to post this.

Also, I would suggest that a smartphone is not going to work because tiny display, tiny everything.  I mean, I'm always fumbling with tiny icons and correcting texts because I hit the wrong infinitesimally small place that punches up a particular letter.  At least I can see what I'm Berkeleying up.  My mom needs 1" high letters on the screen or she can't read it.

So, iPad with large text.

He's probably tearing up the computer on purpose so you will come and see him!

Also take into account his current and near future physical abilities. If there are no issues then an ipad or laptop should be ok. But if he uses a cane, crutch or other apparatus to simply move around the home, trying to hold onto and carry something like a laptop over to his favorite chair without dropping it may be a task in itself. My father has a form of Parkinson’s which sometimes makes simply moving around an event in itself no way he could carry an ipad or laptop around on his bad days. He has had an older desktop for several years which has worked well for him. 

iPad is a possibility. He's asked about them before, but doesn't really understand what they are.

The good news is that he's in excellent health. He rides his bike nearly every day--going for a 20-30 mile ride is nothing for him.

In reply to drainoil :

They make iPad/Tablet mounts/carriers for canes....

In reply to Will :

An iPad Pro has the largest screen size, but they aren't cheap.  Keep an eye out for a refurb unit from Apple, Woot, Groupon, etc. and snap it up.

You can connect them to monitors and keyboards if that is something that is desired as an option.

IPad or Chromebook gets my vote.

We went iPad for my 85 year old grandparents (they were 85 when they got them - this was many years ago, both passed now). 

It worked well for grandma. Grandpa could never quite get that a light tap was all that was necessary. You could see him "wind up" for every click, and half of them never registered because of that and it frustrated him. But he was never a computer guy by any stretch. 

I have the opposite problem. Can't get my parents to use a computer or Ipad. Bought them smart phones few years ago, they don't use a single feature. Still read paper newspapers, and are thankfully able to operate the remote to watch CNN, jeaopardy and wheel of fortune