March 30, 2022
Being connected is important, especially for the elderly. COVID-19 forever changed the ways we communicate with other people, and it was the most vulnerable – non-tech-savvy seniors – who were left out of touch when lockdowns took effect.
The mobile device industry puts little thought into how useable its products are for the elderly, leaving their family members scrambling to find stopgap solutions and provide tech support for devices that weren’t designed for people with low tech literacy, poor vision, or hearing loss.
At Spritely, we pride ourselves on our simple, easy, and capable tablet which hundreds of seniors nationwide use to connect to their friends and family.
The current crop of senior-focused phones and tablets leaves a lot to be desired.
Many existing products focus on being as basic as possible, assuming that older phone designs will be easier for seniors to use. While these products are simpler than, say, an iPhone, they still require a lot of help for people who have never used them before.
These products often have small, hard-to-read screens and number pad typing, which is labour intensive and difficult for people with dexterity problems. What’s more, while they allow calling and texting, they exclude mobile technology’s most useful features like video calling, Bluetooth, and internet connectivity.
If you want a phone for your grandparent that can video call, you are forced to the other side of the elderly-focused mobile market: low-end smartphones.
These phones are all over phones-for-seniors recommendation lists. Usually, they are the cheapest option from a large manufacturer, like the iPhone SE or Moto G Power. While they open up modern features the simpler options lack, they come with their own problems. They are often slow, running on cheap, low-end hardware. They are also a nightmare to use for people who aren’t already familiar with smartphone software. If you buy one of these for your senior family member, be prepared to spend a lot of time doing tech support.
Spritely strikes the perfect balance between the two extremes of elderly-focused tech: it’s simple and easy to use (according to the hundreds of seniors already using it), while allowing you and your family to take advantage of the best features modern technology has to offer.
The Spritely tablet has been designed from the ground up to be age-friendly. It has large text and buttons, a loud speaker and a simple layout. We use modern, futureproof Samsung tablets which enable even the least tech-literate senior to video call with family, check the weather report, and even track their health vitals over time.
Our packaging makes setup easy, and the app’s curated experience gives seniors access to great features while protecting them from the technical issues, viruses, and confusion that often come with unrestricted access to the internet and app store.
If you’re interested in Spritely as a solution for yourself or a family member, you can see the features in more detail, or view our frequently asked questions. You can also email us at info@spritely.co.nz if you’d like to know even more.
