Here at Orchard, we often hear from people who are buying our phones for the seniors in their family. That’s because it’s not always easy for a senior to get connected on their own. With a helpful friend or family member by their side, seniors can take advantage of technology to keep in touch with those who matter most.

During the pandemic, FaceTime, Zoom and WhatsApp video calls have become an indispensable part of staying in touch. But too often, the elderly are left out when it comes to video chats. Many of them don’t have smart devices, or are uncomfortable using them. As a result, they can be more isolated than the rest of us. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to help set up an iPad for my grandfather-in-law, who is not tech-savvy. It was a great learning experience — for both of us! My wife’s grandpa now happily FaceTimes with our family a few times a week, and I gained some insight into how to help your elderly family member set up a smartphone. 

Based on what I learned, I wanted to share some tips on how to make using a smartphone or tablet as easy as possible for the senior in your life. Here’s our definitive 7-step guide to getting your elderly family members set up for video calls. 

Step 1: Choosing a device

Before settling on a model, you’ll need to choose between an iOS (Apple) device, or an Android device. I settled on iOS, since it is widely considered to be the easiest to use. 

Within Apple devices, you’ll need to pick between iPhones and iPads. Elderly people often enjoy using iPads, because everything on a tablet is bigger and easier to see/find. The only drawback is that an iPad weighs a fair bit more than an iPhone. If weight is a real concern, then consider an iPad Mini or a larger iPhone. You can also look into getting an iPad stand. 

When choosing a model, you probably don’t need top-of-the-line specs for a device that will be used for FaceTime and maybe some basic games. For my grandfather-in-law, I went for the iPad 4, which is a very affordable option (available used from $239).

The iPad Air, iPad Air 2 and iPad 5 are other models that offer good value. If you’re thinking about an iPhone instead, I’d suggest going for a large device like the iPhone 7 Plus or 8 Plus.

That being said, you could probably get by on devices as old as the iPad 2 or iPhone 5S, so if you have one that is no longer in use at home, that could be a great option. You can find an updated list of devices compatible with FaceTime on Apple’s site.

If you don’t have a suitable spare, here in Canada you can find affordable used iPhones and used iPads on Orchard. For our friends in the U.S. and around the world, we’d recommend checking out Amazon or eBay.

Note: these recommendations assume that there is Wifi available. If not, you’ll have to buy a device with cellular connectivity and get it set up with a basic data-only plan. 

Step 2: Activate the device

You’ll want to make sure that the device is ready to use as soon as Grandpa receives it. The set-up process can be intimidating for new users, so getting past those initial screens is critical. 

If you’re going to be sharing an old iPad of your own, definitely start by wiping it (instructions here) so there isn’t any confusion down the line about Apple IDs and whatnot. Trust us: that can be very hard to troubleshoot over the phone! 

Passcode is optional: I went with ‘9999’ (this can always be changed or removed in the Settings).

When you reach the Apps & Data screen, select Set Up as New iPad.

I decided to set Grandpa up with his very own Apple ID linked to his email address. You may need to create a dedicated email address if Grandpa doesn’t have one. 

Be sure to email the password and answers to verification questions to Grandpa’s email address, and write them down as well! 

Step 3: Declutter the home screen

Once you’ve completed activation you’ll see a screen that looks like this. 

That’s a lot of clutter. The most important icons are not in the right place. 

So I dragged and dropped all of the apps I felt like wouldn’t ever get used into one giant folder and dropped it onto the second page (video on moving apps here). Then we rearranged the icons at the bottom of the screen as well. Note how far apart FaceTime and Messages are — that was intentional, as those icons are quite similar. 

Step 4: Add Contacts

This one is pretty self explanatory: open up the contacts app and add family and close friends. 

Step 5: Test call all contacts

The last thing you want is for Grandpa to have to deal with the confusion of calling the wrong number, and then having to update someone’s contact information. 

So give everyone a test call for a quick hello. This also gives everyone the opportunity to add Grandpa to their contact list, so they’ll know who’s calling!

Step 6: Increase font size

There’s a lot of room on the iPad screen for larger fonts, so why not?

To make this adjustment, go to Settings > Display and Brightness > Text Size then use the slider to adjust the font size. I increased the font by two ‘notches’. Note: this setting only changes the size of text once you open an app. Unfortunately there is no way to update the text size on the home screen.

 

And that’s it: the iPad is ready for hand off! 

Step 7: Connect the iPad to the internet

The final step is connecting to Wifi, but that can only be done on-site. If you’re not able to do this in-person, perhaps Grandpa’s caregiver could assist? Obviously, if there is no Wifi at Grandpa’s home and you bought a cellular-enabled device, you can set up a cellular device ahead of time and just hand it off! 

Note, the best way to start a FaceTime call is through the Contacts app. Open the contacts app, tap the person’s name, then hit the FaceTime button below their number. 

Here’s to a lot of video calls over the next few months, and being able to resume face-to-face visits as soon as possible!