Is an iPad of help to someone with low vision?

Question

I have an elderly low vision (legally blind) relative in the UK. (I'm in Canada.) I'm wondering if an iPad would work for her and make it easier to do email and listen to her audio books? Or any other things that can assist her. Any info would be helpful. With not being there I don't want to promise it will be better, but I'm hoping others can point me to all the things an iPad can help her with better than an ancient computer that she doesn't understand and it doesn't work well.  I live on my iPad and know how wonderful it is, but in not sure what is available for persons both elderly and that have low vision. Thank you for any help.

Answer 1

Hi Brew_Too,
Apologies that it took until now to get back to you.
Before I start responding to the ques. you answered, I need to point out that if you want to give it as a gift, and want to actually send them one, that won't be possible unless you do it through the online UK store. Warranties are not international so if they have an issue within the first year Apple will not cover it for free because it was purchased in Canada.  And, if you pay by credit card you must have a credit card in the UK and a home address attached to that credit card. It's the same with itunes gift cards. So you might need another way to get them one. Maybe you can speak to Support in Canada and see if they can help.
1. That she has internet is great so all she needs is a wireless router. Many are very inexpensive these days. Here in the USA at Best Buy, there is a Belkin for $29.99 and a Netgear for $44.99. We have the netgear which two years earlier we had paid $89.99 for. They will want one with either, bgn, or at least n. N is the newest connection. That should be bought in the UK also. They won't have a lot in their home that needs it (many computers plus xbox plus printers, etc., so simple and inexpensive will be enough. 
2. Are their son and DIL somewhat knowledgeable in computers and ipads?  They should be able to set them up easily. Once they have wireless set up, the ipad will connect wireless router seamlessly.
3. If they have an email address, that can be their ID. They will have to set up a passcode, password, and select security questions to answer. PLEASE MAKE SURE THEY WRITE IT DOWN AND HER SON KEEPS HIS OWN COPY, TOO.
4. Great that they are still independent. I only asked that to see if they had to deal with a particular living community's cable company, etc. They don't. Good.
5. With the newer ipad models they don't need to sync it to a computer. But if they have family close, they might bring their current laptop to your cousin periodically to sync the ipad and back-up data.
Again, Siri is definitely on the newer models (not ipad 2 or original). Once it's set up for assessibilty she will use Voice Dictation. And she can speak commands to it. Also, when her apps are set up and assessiblity is on (they'll need to learn the taps, etc.) when looking for ibooks, for example, she/they can hover over the screen with fingers and the ipad will tell her what the app is. When it's the app she wants, she puts her finger on it. It will open the app.
I've seen it in detail in the Apple online store, but can't find it now. Here's a summary.
VoiceOver screen reader
Guided Access
Support for playback of closed-captioned content
AssistiveTouch interface for adaptive accessories
Full-screen zoom magnification
Large text
Option to invert colors
Left/right volume adjustment
I just found it. www.apple.com/accessibility/ipad/vision.html
If she is mobile and lives near an Apple store, maybe her son and/or DIL can take her there to a free class for 'Getting Started with iPad.' Or they can make appts. at the genius bar for help.
Though her vision is not good, she can facetime friends and relatives, including you.
If her ipad is synced to her son's computer, he can upload any music she loves from their cd's (free!) she has to his computer, make a playlist and sync that to her ipad. Or you could even do it on a UK compatible CD and send it to him to sync.
Another great thing is if someone contacts their old friends and their family and asks them to send scanned pictures to you from when they - your cousin and her husband? were young to now, they can be combined and put to music they like/love appropriate to the years of the pictures, and synced to their ipad. They could take the pictures to a local camera store, have them put on cd's (NOT read only) send them off to you or her son, make into a slide show on his computer, then sync to the ipad. I bet they'd love that, and it's good for happy memories and their memory.
That's another thing. There are so many games to improve memory.
That they can have books read to them,  listen to music, face chat with family, (imagine them talking to grand children) looking at their pictures, listening to their music, etc., I think it's great and I think Apple needs to continue addressing the needs of and marketing the ipad to Seniors. It helps them feel less isolated in so many ways.
I'll try to get back to you late tomorrow (or today actually - USA  - Eastern Time Zone.)
Hope this helps.