Technology is a savvy gift to give for mom or Grandmother.

Mother’s Day can be a Tech Day for grandmothers or older Mom’s. Not all grandmothers are tech clueless, but most like me did not grow up speaking or thinking the tech language- and it is a language.

So here are more suggestions for tech gifts for grandmothers. Ceiva is a digital photo frame that is connected to a telephone or DSL line. It can be placed in a grandmother’s/ Mom’s residence. Long-distance family members, or even local family members, can upload photos to the frame at any time from their own computers if they subscribe to the PicturePlan® service Your mom or grandmother can wake up to different family photos every day, and relatives from all over can send them as well.

 

The best smart phone I can suggest is Jitterbug a phone invented by an older woman married to the man who invented the cell phone. It has so many grandma friendly features like a real dial tone; the ability for her to dial can zero and get an operator, just like an old-fashioned user-friendly phone for older people. The Jitterbug operator will then connect her with you or anyone on a list you give to Jitterbug. You and your Mom list can create the list. This makes calling easy for Mom and really safe in an emergency. It now has apps that go with it like med alerts and just so much more. A real two way gift.

 

Make an actual scrapbook digitally through Shutterfly.with photos she loves , or photos from her past. This is something you can do and just give her as a great gift.

 

Gift Grandma your  time and tech savvy skills. This is something that a grandchild and adult child can do together.  Scan her favorite photos and set up a digital scrapbook so Grandma/Mom can view them, often in larger size, on her computer or TV. Evernote is a free program, and can be installed on her computer, Smartphone, tablet, or used via the Web. The creations you help her choose (again pictures and grandchildren, family history, she and her friends, anything that makes her happy)) are stored in the “cloud,” which means you she access it from computers and handheld devices other than your own as long as you have an internet connection.

This is a ritual, which means so much to older people. But you can infuse tradition with technology and bring your aging family happiness and – better communication.

More ideas  tomorrow.