OT: Best device for audio books for elderly

[C40_guy]

My dad loves to read, but hasn't picked up a book in quite a while.

So we're thinking that maybe audio books will be engaging. Still working out whether he's willing to wear headphones. Need to figure this out before we go too far down the path...

So...here's the question. What's the best device for an elderly, non-techie person to download and listen to audio books? Wifi connection. Assume the primary application is Libby, and the device may not be used for anything else.

Manual dexterity is an issue. An iPhone, iPod or iPad Mini are all probably too small for him...

So I'm thinking maybe an iPad, or Kindle. Or maybe even a laptop with bluetooth headset... He does have a laptop, but stopped using it a couple of years ago.

Kindle does not have a Libby app, but evidently I can use OverDrive to send a book to a Kindle.

Not sure that an iPad will be intuitive enough for him, and my mom is not tech savvy. She probably could browse Overdrive for him. I guess Audible could also work, but there's a monthly cost involved.

Thoughts appreciated.

[kbone]

I got my folks a Fire 10" and loaded the Libby app. Easy enough to do. Worked great for awhile.

Later we subscribed to Audible and they used Alexa to play their books. Worked even better for them because of the easy voice control. Good luck.

[gasman]

My wife is an audiobook narrator. She says Audible is the easiest to use. PM sent.

[Hindmost]

https://www.loc.gov/nls/resources/bl...obook-players/

There are various government sources for free material for the vision impaired. Very manageable devices for the elderly.

[parris]

Hindmost hit on what I was going to say. My mother was a voracious reader which got curbed by failing eyesight. My sister found out about a program that supplies a player and audio books which were a godsend for our mom.

[duff_duffy]

I was in same boat with my mom. She loved to read but had stopped for a while because books to heavy/font too small (often). Bought her the biggest and most expensive Kindle we could find. She loves it. Thought tech would confuse/hinder enjoyment but it’s been best purchase in a while (that and a huge TV with big close captioning). It’s also neat because it’s tied to our account so we can see that she is reading.

Also, mom basically deaf so audio books non starter for us. The Kindle Oasis is model we got and really is nice.

[djg21]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

My dad loves to read, but hasn't picked up a book in quite a while.

So we're thinking that maybe audio books will be engaging. Still working out whether he's willing to wear headphones. Need to figure this out before we go too far down the path...

So...here's the question. What's the best device for an elderly, non-techie person to download and listen to audio books? Wifi connection. Assume the primary application is Libby, and the device may not be used for anything else.

Manual dexterity is an issue. An iPhone, iPod or iPad Mini are all probably too small for him...

So I'm thinking maybe an iPad, or Kindle. Or maybe even a laptop with bluetooth headset... He does have a laptop, but stopped using it a couple of years ago.

Kindle does not have a Libby app, but evidently I can use OverDrive to send a book to a Kindle.

Not sure that an iPad will be intuitive enough for him, and my mom is not tech savvy. She probably could browse Overdrive for him. I guess Audible could also work, but there's a monthly cost involved.

Thoughts appreciated.

I’d say an iPad Pro with a 12.9” screen. Your dad can use audible and perhaps read with the kindle app using oversized typeface. There are a lot of accessibility functions baked in to the iOS, and it an iPad isn’t overwhelming techy. The 12.9 screen also is nice for streaming video, or playing music, etc. get you dad a set of AirPod Pros to go with it.

[C40_guy]

I appreciate all the suggestions. My dad's eyesight is fine, for now, not quite sure why he isn't reading. He was a voracious reader for decades.

He is dealing with Parkinson's disease, and it looks like reading ability can be compromised by the disease (there's my answer to the statement in the paragraph above...).

Parkinson's sucks.

[Hindmost]

Regarding the resource that I referred to earlier as applying to the vision impaired, other kinds of reading disability may qualify for use of the service. ( I am not an expert.)

To qualify one takes a form to a medical professional to have the condition certified and then mail in an application.

Here, a loner device was provided by the state of California. The media was based on a thumb drive. With an account registered to my mother I was able to download free material from the central library and copy on to blank media.

[tuxbailey]

Originally Posted by gasman

My wife is an audiobook narrator. She says Audible is the easiest to use. PM sent.

If you have children, they must have/had the most awesome time with bedtime stories.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by Hindmost

Regarding the resource that I referred to earlier as applying to the vision impaired, other kinds of reading disability may qualify for use of the service. ( I am not an expert.)

To qualify one takes a form to a medical professional to have the condition certified.

Thank you, I appreciate the pointer to this resource!

[gasman]

Originally Posted by tuxbailey

If you have children, they must have/had the most awesome time with bedtime stories.

Yes, by the time they were 3 , I was no longer qualified to read aloud to them.

On the other hand when we are on a long drive she reads to me which is fantastic !

[Jeff Weir]

iPad and Apple Books

[DRZRM]

We did this for my grandmother before she passed, and she was able to use an Ipad with Audible (Libby would be fine too, but the download process might be harder). The thing to do is to put him on your Audible and Libby accounts, so that you can go chase down the books he might like, and load them into his library, it will sync up and all he had to do is press play from his library. For anyone who struggles with tech, this is a way you can set up and access shared accounts. You can set up the Ipad as yours and sync everything, or I believe that you can just do the accounts as shared.