iPad + Keyboard vs. MacBook Air for elderly parents

[thomasec]

Hi everyone - my mom has been using her iMac a lot since the beginning of the pandemic, and is actually lugging it around the house to do things like:

• Watch exercise videos
• Basic web browsing + email
• Using Zoom for games like mahjong and bridge

She is almost 73, so moving an iMac around the house is not ideal. I'm debating between getting her a new MacBook Air, or an iPad Air + Keyboard.

I was wondering if anyone had feedback on things to consider, given the activities she'll be using it for.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Longkeg]

If she’s already comfortable with MacOS I’d go with the MBA. By the time you add the keyboard to the iPad you’ve got to be in the same ballpark money wise. Why not opt for the “Full Mac Experience?” Plus with the MBA she’ll never misplace the keyboard.

 

[Fishrrman]

I also suggest the MacBook instead of an iPad...

 

[Euroamerican]

The less often things can get disconnected, the better. So my thought is that the iPad should be tested without a physical keyboard. That is, if you feel like doing a full user experience test. You could buy a 128gb wifi ipad 10.2 first, see what she thinks, and repurpose or return it if she wants to stick with traditional laptop format.

Winner-Winner either way?!
\

 

[Mousse]

Have you considered getting her a desk trolley? 12lbs ain't much to lug around, but a desk trolley would make it so convenient. As someone who's getting along in age, my eyes ain't what they use to be, so a bigger screen is much preferable to small screen. Just saying.

Anyhow, the best advice I can give is what dads🧔 everywhere say to their kids, "Go ask your mom."😉 Get here whatever setup she prefers.

 

[profcutter]

What a cool mom! Anyway, I’m thinking maybe a MacBook Air would be better, to avoid the learning curve.

 

[TechRunner]

Another vote for the Air. Familiarity is the biggie here. I transitioned my MIL to an iPad, but she was coming from a Windows laptop and already had an iPhone which, in her mind, was just a smaller iPad. As others have said, if your mom already uses MacOS, I would buy her MacOS. And as @profcutter said, cool mom!

 

[nothingtoseehere]

In general, I agree with all said above in favor of the MBA. One point is, nevertheless: If you mom is used to a screen at least 21.5 inch - will 13" be an acceptable screen size? Have you tested it with her with one of your laptops if bridge etc. is large enough?

(Me, in the early fifties, eyes already getting worse... twenty more years... we will see...)

 

[thomasec]

In general, I agree with all said above in favor of the MBA. One point is, nevertheless: If you mom is used to a screen at least 21.5 inch - will 13" be an acceptable screen size? Have you tested it with her with one of your laptops if bridge etc. is large enough?

(Me, in the early fifties, eyes already getting worse... twenty more years... we will see...)

Yeah, this is my biggest concern. They just got their second shot of the vaccine, so they'll check out the 13" in person in two weeks to make sure she's comfortable with it. Thanks for all the feedback everyone, it was very helpful!

 

[pmiles]

Elderly people are less inclined to learn new tricks. They get comfortable with something and generally don't like change as much. Eyesight doesn't get better with age either. Nor does dexterity. Sometimes the feel of things can be off-putting as well.

I guess the real question to ask yourself is why she is moving the device all over the house in the first place. What you may see as making it convenient to use in another room may actually be a symptom of something else. Elderly have a habit of moving things around for the sake of moving them around without realizing they are doing it. May not be the case, but having an elderly Mom myself, I have seen some crazy behavior from her since she's hit 80. She suffers from mental issues these days and it manifests itself in some of the strangest things.

Just saying you might need to take note of why she is moving it around now when before she didn't. I'll assume this is a relatively new development or you would have noticed it a long time ago or she would have mentioned it long ago. Find out her reasoning for doing it. If she doesn't have an explanation for it, (the "I don't know"), you may find that this is just the early sign of something else. In which case, a laptop or a desktop won't change the behavior because what you think she is moving it about for is absolutely not the reason she is doing it. Typically when this is the case, it is not the only thing being moved about.

Good luck.

 

[phrehdd]

Challenges with both iPad and laptop is that they need to be charged. Will someone with some age remember to charge them as needed (or even plug them in from room to room)?

I have no idea about the layout of your home but a wheeled cart set up specially or a wheeled laptop station used to hold the iMac (anchored) might work as well and be certainly familiar to your parent. I figure the more familiar, the better.

 

[Boyd01]

Elderly people are less inclined to learn new tricks. They get comfortable with something and generally don't like change as much.

Elderly have a habit of moving things around for the sake of moving them around without realizing they are doing it.

I'm sure you mean well, but many people will find this very insulting. Among other things, this kind of generalization contributes to an age bias problem in the workplace. People have a wide range of abilities and age differently. I'm "almost 72" (a year younger than the OP's mother). My kids aren't asking what kind of computer to get for their "elderly parent". On the contrary, they're calling me for help with their computers and technology. Two years ago I learned enough javascript/html/css to build this website, last year I wrote all the code from scratch for this site and now I'm building a new mobile site from scratch. Sure, there are others my age that have challenges, but please try not to paint "elderly people" with such a broad brush.

Back on topic... from what @thomasec said, I don't think it makes much sense to switch to an iPad. I have a 2018 iPad and keyboard case and really never learned to like it. Not at all like a Mac for so many reasons, but those have been debated to death elsewhere here.

Screen size is certainly a valid concern, I got a 2018 Mini and a 32" QHD screen this summer and love it, but I'd be happy with a laptop if portability was important (still have an 11" MacBook Air). Maybe worth looking into the idea of a computer cart, as others have suggested?