For hip grans and grandads
Whether a savvy silver surfer needs a new toy or you want to encourage a late starter to join the digital age, there’s something for everyone...
THE BIDDABLE FRIEND
We love Alexa, the digital voice assistant inside a speaker who answers questions, tells jokes and plays music. As long as there’s wi-fi, the Echo Dot is great for an older relative, especially if they live alone. Set it up via the Alexa app and then place where it’ll be most useful, such as the kitchen. Say good morning and Alexa will wish you good morning back! You can also ask her about the weather, news headlines and instruct her to play your fave radio station. Echo Dot, £49.99, Amazon
USER-FRIENDLY MOBILE
If older family members have grown out of basic take-and-make-calls mobiles, this smartphone is the perfect step up. Designed by Swedish company Doro, it’s very user-friendly: numbers can be saved on the home screen for onetouch calling; it’s hearing-aid compatible; and it has a large screen with adjustable font sizes. A special assistance button at the back of the phone will call pre-programmed numbers and send a text with the GPS location in case of emergency. Doro 8030, £109, Tesco
STEP BY STEP
Fitness trackers aren’t just for gym bunnies. Older people can really benefit from them, too. The Go’s simple display shows your progress, so you may be inspired to walk the long way to the paper shop to boost your step count! It can be worn on your wrist, belt or in a pocket, and the battery lasts for eight months. Sync to the Healthmate Go app to track activity levels and be emailed award badges. It certainly makes you aware of how active you are, whether it’s after a day in the garden or an overview of your week. Go, £39.95, Nokia
SMART SECURITY
If you’d like to add some security to a relative’s home, the Canary is an instant fix. Simply plug it in, sync to wi-fi and set it up via the app. Useful for people who often go away on holiday, the app allows you to see a live video stream from inside the house and receive motion alerts. You can even keep it on at all times so, if you’re worried that someone who lives alone isn’t answering the phone, you can look back through a timeline of the day. Canary, £159.95, John Lewis