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For a lot of people, namely baby boomers and younger, getting an iPhone is a pretty easy sell. It has a sleek design, camera, instant access to email and internet, plus hundreds of thousands of fun and/or useful applications, thus making it the on-the-go computer everyone needs in order to get by in 21st Century America. But for those older folks that you know, it may be a little difficult for them to discover how useful a device the iPhone can be beyond its function as a phone. Here are a few apps that will help your grandparents or any other older person in your life get the most use out of his or her iPhone.
1.Magnifying Glass
For that grandfather who loves his iPhone but doesn’t want to make the transition to reading his tiny-printed newspaper directly on it, this is the app for him. Developed by Falcon In Motion LLC, the Magnifying Glass app is available for free in the iTunes store, though there is the option to pay for an upgrade and unlock some additional features. Utilizing the iPhone’s camera, the app magnifies any text in its view. The same pinch to zoom-in/zoom-out as is used on all iPhone apps, plus an autofocus function makes this great for seniors who want to ditch their reading glasses or old-fashioned magnifiers.
2. MedWatcher
An extremely practical and useful app, MedWatcher is perfect for any senior on any kind of medicinal regimen. The app provides abundant information on prescription and non-prescriptions drugs, vaccines, and medical devices. It contains details about numerous drugs’ medical uses and side effects, and also has a function that allows users to report and ill effects they feel as a result of taking a drug directly to the FDA. This app is a great way to give seniors informational control over their health that they need.
3. Words With Friends
Of course, the iPhone doesn’t have to be a completely pragmatic tool. We all enjoy playing games on it and that doesn’t change, no matter what your age. Words With Friends is a great, free app for intellectually spry seniors. Essentially an online version of Scrabble, a game with which most older folks are very familiar, it’s a fun way to stay connected with friends and family who may live at a distance. Since players can have up to twenty games going simultaneously, your grandmother can make you, your sister, and your kids all feel like you have inadequate vocabularies all at the same time.
The iPhone functions as a tremendous resource of information and fun for us all, and there’s no reason that technological inexperience should limit that to a younger generation. Seniors have as much to benefit from it as anyone, so encourage them to explore and to play.
