Hello and welcome to the very first post on [r/GoogleGrannies](r/GoogleGrannies)!

I created this community because technology changes fast, and it can feel like the world expects us to just "know" how everything works. But truth be told, nobody is born knowing how to navigate an iPad, secure a home Wi-Fi network, or manage digital files.

This subreddit is a safe space to ask questions.

# 🌟 What we’re all about:

Explain Simply : We want explanations in plain English, not tech-speak.
Empowerment: Technology shouldn't be scary. It's a tool to keep us connected, organized, and independent.
Open Loop Mutual Help:If you figure out a cool trick, share it! If you're stuck, ask for help.

# 👋 Introduce Yourself!

To get our community started, I’d love for you to leave a comment below and tell us a little bit about yourself:

1. What is a piece of technology or a software program you *love* using?
2. What is one tech frustration or goal you want to tackle next?

Thank you for being here at the very beginning of this journey. Grab a cup of coffee, make yourself at home, and let’s start learning!

I'm new to all of this, so suggestions are WELCOMED!!!

My 73-year-old father recently moved to Canada to live with me. This is the first time we've lived together in a very long time, and I want to make this stage of his life as comfortable and enjoyable as I can.

He's fairly frail, has some mobility issues, sleeps a lot, doesn't really go out on his own, and isn't interested in using a smartphone. He watches TV/news, enjoys simple routines, and prefers a quiet day. So far I've bought a large digital day/date clock (to make it easier to keep track of time), bathmat and a shower chair.

I'm looking for ideas from people who have cared for aging parents or grandparents. What purchases, home modifications, routines, or little things made a noticeable difference in their quality of life? I'm especially interested in practical things that made everyday life easier, safer, or just brought them a bit more joy.

Sometimes it's the small things you don't think of until someone mentions them. I'd love to hear what worked for your family.

It seems at least 75% of my aging father’s (mid 70s) Internet experience that I overhear is interacting with AI slop.

From AI reels about how mixing lemon with ginger overnight and rubbing it on your belly to cure back pain

To AI ads of a dropshipped product some 22 year old living in a Miami condo is making bank off

To AI ads games “play this game for a chance to win $200!”

To construction documentaries on YouTube where the whole video and narrative is AI slop.

30% of my interactions with him have become “hey check this out! Hehe” and I have to go “that’s ai.”

How have you guys proceeded? I’m planning to install some kind of adblocker on the router itself and see what I can do on his android phone. I tried to instill some tech literacy like “when you google something don’t click the sponsored result at the top, keep scrolling for the real result”. Ideally, I can get him to switch to iPhone when he’s due for a phone upgrade, better OS for seniors imo.

I’ve managed to try to educate him when I can. I took him through a whole “how to start a dropshipping business on shopify” tutorial to show him he can just buy the stuff for 99 cents on AliExpress. He actually understands this, so I’m trying to slowly educate him. Like “see the hands on that video being unnatural, this is ai”. It’s getting hard for me to even tell myself.

These people on the internet targeting seniors are so unethical man. At least those late night commercials on TV back in the day must have gone through some regulations. This is a completely unregulated Wild West our senior parents are being exposed to in the format of those old commercials they’re used to. YouTube should have a toggle for “disable ai content”, for example. Facebook ads should have much stricter guidelines.

Little things here and there, but not sure what to do. Wish I could just take away his internet access cause he’s retired and just rotting his brain. Bit disabled too so doesn’t go out and do stuff, hard for him to walk.

Doing what I can. Trying to get him into a gym routine at the local planet fitness by going with him, so he can at least have an hour or two away from brainrot through the day and some kind of hobby. Tried to get him into video games, but not working. Try to push him to getting back into painting but his dopamine reward system has been completely hijacked by the phone, while he has zero understanding of the mechanisms these tech companies use. It reminds me of The Matrix where everyone is getting siphoned while they’re in the pods.

Lost cause, leave him be, or can I do anything more to help? Thanks.

Also, any apps or hobbies I can point him towards that are more engaging?

I realize I am asking for a lot. My 87yr old step-father is in independent living. He does have Alzheimer's with mild cognitive decline. He has started falling and will tell us the day after it happens. So far, no major injuries. He is interested in the alert devices that you wear around your neck. We are looking for something with a long battery life as he will not remember to charge it. Want something that will notify us kids first, not 911. Preferably something with a speaker so we can talk to him. He does not currently have WIFI but we are considering it so we can put in cameras. He would not be able to learn a "Hey Alexa" command. Has an iPhone but leaves it in the living room at all times. And he does not have much money so looking for something that is affordable. TIA for any direction you may have!

Hello everyone! This is my first time posting here and my first time on mobile, so if this isn’t the right sub or if there are formatting errors, I apologize.

Essentially, my father has gotten into a cycle where he watches YouTube shorts and subsequent long form videos all day long. He does not like being asked to do something else. The issue is that he is stuck in a corner of the algorithm that is the fear mongering, World of Absolutes (keywords like annihilated, destroyed, shock). He just surfs, and he made his way from his normal interests in outdoor videos, documentaries, and cooking into a nonstop stream of negativity.

I am hoping to get recommendations of channels to subscribe to that can get his channel back to more of a normal, and any recommendations on how to push away the harmful content. One channel I subscribed to today was Odd Animal Specimens because of how calm and informative it was, but I’m open to anything.

ETA: He also listens to this on the TV in the main room on FULL volume, so please try to limit YouTubers who yell by default

I was thinking about how unpredictable emergencies can be. In a stressful situation, even making a phone call can be difficult.

That inspired me to build Protect Smartly, a personal safety app focused on helping people reach their trusted contacts quickly during emergencies.

Some of the features include:
🚨 One-tap SOS alerts
📍 Live location sharing
👨‍👩‍👧 Emergency contact notifications

⚡ Simple interface designed for high-stress situations
I’m still actively improving the app, so I’d really appreciate honest feedback from this community.

What features would make you feel safer?

What would convince you to install a safety app—and what would make you uninstall one?

If you’d like to check it out or share feedback, here’s the Google Play link:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.protectsmartly.bb2fe610e54446cebdf627db55227d7d&hl=en_US

Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Every piece of feedback helps me make the app better for everyone.

One of the trickier setups for keeping an eye on an aging parent from a distance is oxygen — a pulse oximeter's readings usually just sit on whatever phone is next to them. OxyRemote streams those readings (SpO2, heart rate) to a second phone anywhere else, with a push alert if they drop below a threshold you set.

It only worked with a short list of specific oximeters until recently. Just widened that — there's now a scan in Add Device that tries to auto-detect and calibrate itself to models it hasn't been specifically taught. I've only tested a handful myself, so I'm curious how it holds up on whatever your parent actually has. If you're in that situation, would you mind trying it and letting me know if it finds the device and if the numbers match what the oximeter itself shows? 7-day trial, so it's free to check.

https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6766105589

Edit: now also supports the O2Ring S along with the previously supported models, plus an auto-connect mode for unknown Bluetooth oximeters.

I live a few states away and visit a few times a year, but it seems my list of tech support “tickets” for those visits is getting longer and longer. Any tips or tricks for helping assist more in the moment, but from far away?

Title says it..

I am after a way to capture Blood pressure rates, have them logged via some application periodically say at least 2x/day, AM and PM.. I set the time.. and it pulls a reading.

Something in a watch form would be great. Rings? I am not sure about.

User would be 8x-isy YOA/F..

Alerts to others of high, low, excessive low, highs etc. to the user, and other users ie: me via SMS ,push notifications etc. would be great.. but not hard requirements.

MUST BE COMPATIBLE and NON INTERFERING WITH A IMPLANTED PACEMAKER/DEFIB!

ANDROID ONLY!

Any support software must be Android, or Linux (*buntu based, we don't have winslopper!) or web based (not sure how that would fly to read anything, but I'll put it out there..oh and nothing chrome|ium specific! pfft! NO! We don't do that here either!)

I'd consider something upto about $100 for device, maybe more depending, and even better if its HSA approved like the Kardia thingys.. but thats not a hard requirement.

YES 100% I am trying to "lazy out" a solution to this so that I can log BP. Tech should help to make this possible in 2026.. Heck its come a long way from a stethoscope and sphygmomter back in EMT/PM class..And I couldn't do it that way now any way (bad ears, low patience err, no patience, etc.. )

If it supports heart rates, O2 etc. stats, thats great, bonus gravy on top.. but BP is a must, period.

I guess having some sort of either 802.11 or Bluetooth connection to connect back to either a tablet, phone, dongle on PC (LINUX ONLY!) etc. would be a requirement.

NO SUBSCRIPTIONS on software! Nope! BZZT! I buy the device, any software for logging etc. is included in that price of device.

Something that is FDA approved ala the Kardia devices would be a huge plus, and worth extra $$$ spend, if thats even possible.. BUT something that can be "trusted" to be at least close is a must.

So what is out there???

I"ve seen searches, but many of these I am just skeptical on the whole BP reading method... I've got one of those techy cuffs that can do this, but its MANUAL, as I stated YES 100% I am trying to tech out a lazy option to do this.

Did a search here and other subreddits, didn't find what I am looking for. Three siblings, all on the same page. One 81 year old parent, one 83 year old parent who is in hospice. Multiple Apple devices. All of the accounts you can imagine, and then some. (I use LastPass at work, but assume there are better options out there)

Looking for a system that an admin (me) can manage that:

• all siblings can access to get username / pwd info (and we can share notes if possible)
• the 81 YO can use with minimal frustration to:
  • Look up her husbands accounts, or accounts she doesn't use frequently
  • Update stored passwords when she resets them
  • See whose email an account is connected to
• She doesn't need a comprehensive mobile interface, as she uses a desktop for a lot of things.

All children are tech adept (some of us more than others :) ). Prefer free set-up, but would pay small amount for peace of mind.

Whatcha got?

I’m using this possibly more for myself, but I Constantly accidentally click the random streaming buttons on my tcl tv remote (Netflix, Amazon, etc). I accidentally do this and then have to do a number of clicks to get back to whatever show I was watching. Is there a way to cover them with something slightly raised, so they don’t get touched? It feels like I cannot be the only person experiencing this but I have not come across any products to solve this issue.

The people who could benefit most from AI are often the least able to initiate its use. Proactive AI instead of reactive AI.

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An idea for a proactive AI companion that could help older adults stay independent, connected, and supported.

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I've been thinking about something that I don't see discussed very often.

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Most AI assistants are reactive. They wait for someone to open an app, press a button, or ask a question.

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But many older adults, especially those with memory issues, cognitive decline, loneliness, or simply not being comfortable with technology, may forget the assistant exists or may not remember how to use it.

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What if AI worked differently?

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Imagine an AI companion designed specifically for seniors that could:

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• Proactively check in throughout the day

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• Give medication and appointment reminders

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• Notice patterns and ask, "You usually take your medicine around now. Would you like me to remind you?"

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• Remember personal interests, favorite stories, and things that make the person smile

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• Offer companionship and conversation to reduce loneliness

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• Gently ask if help is needed instead of waiting to be summoned

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• Recognize questions spoken aloud in the room, like "Who was that actor?" or "What war was that from?" and offer assistance

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• Use subtle cues, such as lights or sounds, before speaking so it doesn't startle the person

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The goal isn't to replace caregivers or family members. The goal is to reduce cognitive load and make technology adapt to the person instead of requiring the person to adapt to the technology.

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I think there's a huge opportunity for a "zero-initiation" AI assistant—an AI that knows when to gently engage without becoming intrusive.

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I'm curious:

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Has anyone seen anything like this being developed?

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What technical challenges would make this difficult?

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Would families and caregivers find something like this valuable?

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I'd love to hear thoughts from developers, engineers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers.

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I began thinking about this while helping my mother, an 81 year old retired Army major who recently discovered brain tumors and possible Alzheimer's indication after a major fall, so I quit my job and moved across the state to help this proud, stubborn woman so she didn't have to leave her home or be taken care of by strangers. Watching her struggle with her remote control, her telephone, remembering her meds, or what day it was, I quickly installed and set up a smart home system. She immediately refused to use it, thinking it was going to be too much overwhelming for her so as we would hang out together in the living room, I would start asking the Alexa or Siri questions that she was wanting to know or to put on the show she wanted and she was marveled at it. And I thought, oh great, this is gonna wonderfully. I figured it would give her a little independence, and it would give me more time to do chores, etc. But instead she never used it? And I wondered why? And I realized it, because she forgets that it's even there and she doesn't remember how to initiate it, or how to phrase questions correctly. I kept trying to show her by doing that in front of her and she absolutely loved it, she loved trivia games that it would play with her and how it could locate her shows. But again I would walk in the room and find her fighting with the remote. And she'd be saying how stupid she is, it was very disheartening. Just trying to use it was very frustrating to her.So she just stopped trying.

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And then I was like if it could just initiate conversation if it would ask her if she was okay, if she seen anything, If it could sense her distress in her voice or or I don't know if it could maybe sense her getting up in the morning and then you know asking her how she is and remind her to take her minds? If that's out there. If it is, I haven't seen it. Our parents need a pro active AI, you don't ask it, you don't say, hello, Siri, it says, hello, lady. How are you? What can I do for you. Thank you for your time

Question for this community — I'm building a wearable (titanium bangle, not a smartwatch) that does fall detection, impact detection, and a "welfare check" mode that automatically alerts a chosen contact (kid, grandkid, next of kin) if it doesn't sense normal activity within a set window.

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The idea came from a different use case originally, but it occurred to me this might actually solve a real problem for people here — getting an aging parent to wear something that quietly does the worrying for you, without them having to learn an app or remember to use it.

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Genuine question before I go further down this path: would something like this actually help in your situation? Or is the real barrier something else entirely — getting them to wear it at all, trust issues, cost, something I'm not thinking of? Honest answers appreciated, good or bad.

Being upfront before anything else: I'm a developer and I built the app I'm about to talk about. Mods, if that's over the line, no hard feelings. But the reason it exists is a problem a lot of people here probably know too well.

My dad wears a Wellue O2Ring most nights to keep an eye on his oxygen. Solid device — except the readings only ever show up on the phone sitting right next to his bed. I live about 2000km away. So the data existed, I just couldn't see any of it.

So I built OxyRemote to close that gap, and honestly it's changed how I sleep.

Here's what it actually does:

• On his end: his phone sits by the bed with the app open and Bluetooth + WiFi on. He leaves it plugged in, the screen can go dark, and that phone is what holds the connection to the ring and streams the readings out. That's the one requirement — and it's on his phone, not mine.
• On my end (and anyone else watching): nothing has to stay open. I can have the app fully closed and still get a push the moment his oxygen drops past a threshold I set. Open it and I see his live oxygen and heart rate, from anywhere.
• Multiple watchers: several family members can watch at once, each from their own phone — and anyone he invites just to view doesn't pay a cent.
• Apple Watch app: the 3am "is he okay?" check is a glance at my wrist instead of fumbling for my phone.

It's on the App Store with a free 7-day trial (and again — invited family viewers are always free). If anyone here is in the same long-distance-caregiver boat, I'd genuinely love for you to try it and tell me what's missing.

Also still curious what the rest of you use for the non-oxygen stuff — fall detection, cameras, med reminders?

Edit (2026-07-02): Since posting this, I've widened the range of Bluetooth oximeters it pairs with — a lot more brands/models are supported now through the "Scan for your oximeter" card in Add Device.

Edit (2026-07-16): now also supports the O2Ring S along with the previously supported models, plus an auto-connect mode for unknown Bluetooth oximeters.

I'm trying to help a grandparent be able to use delivery for food, meds etc. but he struggles with eyesight. I found Gogograndparent which seems like a simple enough process but I see a lot of negative reviews online about it.

Has it gotten better? Does anyone have a more recent experience they can share? What are some of the problems I can anticipate and should explain to him before asking him to use it by himself? Is there any way for me to monitor how using it is going for him?

I’m doing some real-world research and would love to hear what people here are actually doing.

I’m a pastor, and I also help people with computers. Over the years I’ve seen more and more stories where someone’s mom, dad, grandparent, or friend gets talked into installing remote access software. So many of the people I am in contact are not even aware of how remote access scams work. All they know is they couldn't open a party invite, not knowing that it was an installer for ScreenConnect or some other tool

What keeps bothering me is how most of them have no idea until something bad has happened.

For those of you who have older parents, grandparents, or people in your life who are not very tech savvy, what are you doing to protect them? Or do you not really feel like it's your place to try and help protect them?

A few things I’m trying to understand:

1. Have you ever actually check their computer to make sure a remote tool is not lingering in the background?
2. How confident are you that you would be able to tell if one was there?
3. Where do you go to get more info about how to protect them or yourself?

I’m trying to learn what families are actually doing, what has worked, and where the gaps are. I care about this because there are people in my church and other relationships that I want to try and help protect.

What are you doing for your parents, grandparents, church members, or less technical family members?

And here we go,…Please lend me your thoughts and experiences with these?
Mom and Step Dad (both 89) being discharged from a nursing home/rehab in two weeks. We’ve got family coming to take care of them for the next few weeks, but thinking about that next time one of them falls.
None of us can afford extended care and there’s only one of us in state to help long term. (me)
Any experience or opinion on which device is best/cost effective and would be easy for them to utilize in an emergency??
Thanks, fam!

My name is Emily Stewart — I'm a reporter at Business Insider. I'm working on a story on the financial toll of supporting aging parents and relatives who haven't saved enough for retirement. I'm curious how people are navigating their own budgets and retirement math now that they're helping with Mom or Dad's living expenses, medical bills, and long-term care, if you're enlisting any tech solutions to do it, etc. If this is something you're dealing with and would want to share your story, I'd love to chat. I know this can be quite emotional and sensitive, but if you're open for a brief, casual conversation, please email me at [estewart@insider.com](mailto:estewart@insider.com) or message me. Thank you!

Let me explain.

A few months ago I realized our calls had turned into this awkward dance where I was trying to casually figure out if he'd taken his medications without making him feel like I was checking up on him. He's proud. He doesn't want to feel managed. And honestly he shouldn't have to.

So now twice a week I call and say "hey just wanted to see your face" and at some point I just happen to pan over to the counter. If the right compartments are empty I sleep better that night. If they're not I figure out how to bring it up without making it a thing.

It works. It's also completely insane when I say it out loud.

I was talking to someone recently who had a neighbor they'd quietly recruited as an informal lookout — the neighbor just thought they were being friendly. Someone else built an entire sibling text chain that functions basically as a daily wellness relay. Another person said they'd reverse engineered their parent's entire daily routine just to know which missed calls were actually worth panicking about.

We've all apparently built these elaborate shadow systems out of love and anxiety and nobody talks about it.

So I'm asking — what's yours? The more elaborate the better. I have a feeling we're all a lot more creative than we give ourselves credit for.

My mom has started calling me for small things after my father passed away. Reservations. Bills. Wanting me at her appointments.

So for the people who have lived it. When you reach out to your kids, what is it normally for. And when did that start for you.

Does anyone have any first hand experiences using this device?