Seniors are often not the technophobes some people might think they are. They love tech too, including phones, tablets, and cameras, and there are devices that can make seniors' lives a little easier — help them manage their health, find misplaced items, or manage online passwords. We found plenty of products that are not only easy for seniors to use, but that they are sure to appreciate.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
$55 for four from Amazon
Shop Now
Everyone loses their keys (and other things) once in awhile. The Tile Mate finds them. Its app is easy to use, and the tile itself is small, with a practical design. Simply attach it to a keychain or anything else you're prone to lose. There's also a find-your-phone function.
$50 monthly and up from MedMinder
Shop Now
Seniors with medications to manage every day will appreciate MedMinder's reminders of when to open a pill compartment. The device's built-in cell service connects to a monitoring station, so no phone or wireless network is needed. You can also buy refill trays that can be swapped in and out as needed.
$110 and up from Amazon
Shop Now
This is one of the easiest tablets to use, and one of the cheapest. It has speakers and a bright screen, and includes integration with services such as Amazon Prime Video. For this price, it comes with a wireless charging dock.
$60 from Best Buy
Shop Now
The Jitterbug Smart2 is a smartphone for seniors based on a simplified Android interface and including a dedicated 5Star Urgent Response button for emergencies. The phone has medical-related apps such as MedCoach, which can give reminders to take medication and refill prescriptions. Seniors can also use the phone to record medical history and other information to share with doctors. A phone plan with exclusive service provider Great Call is required; plans start at $15 a month.
$11 from Amazon
Shop Now
Especially for people who live in colder climates, touchscreen gloves can lend a helping hand, and with these you can get one or two pairs of these highly rated bestsellers. These have thumb and index finger functionality, come in 13 color combos, and, with a wool exterior and fleece lining, provide warmth as well as easy device handling. A perfect stocking stuffer for under $20.
$350 from Amazon
Shop Now
The Bartesian Keurig-like machine for your home bar was one of Oprah’s favorite things last year, and this year it has another reason to be the favorite of many: The pandemic has kept many people away from bars and restaurants.
$160 from Amazon
Shop Now
The ultimate gift for your favorite morning grump, the Philips Somneo helps make waking up easier with a simulated sunrise. There's also a sunset mode for relaxing, plenty of soothing nature sounds, and music options, and several light settings including nightlight and reading modes.
$80 from Amazon
Shop Now
This small, nightstand-sized alarm clock and timer does it all: It can show lyrics to songs, give you the news, let you watch movie trailers, check weather and traffic, and lots more.
$180 from Amazon
Shop Now
Detect when someone approaches your door, and see who's there without leaving your seat — even when not at home. The device isn't hard to install, thanks to its removable battery, and the battery is easy to recharge. Users can save video for up to 60 days, and share videos and photos for $3 monthly per device.
$89 from Amazon
Shop Now
The popular Kindle is a good gift for seniors who like to read. It's easy to use, and a massive library of books ensures there will always be interesting reading on hand. The screen is quick and responsive, and font sizes are adjustable.
$3 monthly and up from LastPass
Shop Now
One big challenge for seniors (and the rest of us, honestly) is keeping track of passwords. With LastPass, there's only one master password to remember. LastPass takes care of the rest — password generation as well as automatically logging in. LastPass is available for smartphones and tablets as well as PCs, for protection regardless of the device being used. A six-user premium family package is $48 annually.
$97 from Amazon
Shop Now
One of the most popular fitness trackers, this device has an easy-to-read display with a backlight and exceptional battery life. It's also waterproof, so it doesn't have to come off for showers or wading. The Vivofit 3 can track sleep as well as steps and calories burned, includes a stopwatch feature, and detects when you go from one activity to another for more accurate fitness data.
$270 from Costco
Shop Now
The new Apple Watch SE aims to tempt smartwatch holdouts with an impressive amount of technology for the price, and you can get it at a small discount at Costco.
$40 from Microsoft
Shop Now
Video chatting is a convenient way to catch up with the grandkids, or far-flung friends. This super cheap webcam has high-definition video quality and is easy to use, with no drivers to install. It works easily with a number of applications, including Skype.
Related: The Best Cheap Webcams for Staying in Touch While at Home
$20 monthly from MobileHelp
Shop Now
Seniors can send an alert for help with the press of a button from a base station, wrist button, or neck pendant with MobileHelp. The base station includes a speaker and mic to communicate with company professionals when needed. No landline, network, or cell contract is required. An optional fall detection system is $10 per month.
$100 and up from Amazon
Shop Now
One of the easiest car GPS systems to use also comes with free lifetime map and traffic updates. It has a colorful, easy-to-read 5-inch display and provides driver alerts for a number of events, such as speed changes and railroad crossings. It also comes road trip-ready, loaded with content from History's database of notable historic sites, a U.S. national parks directory, TripAdvisor traveler ratings, and millions of points of interest pulled from Foursquare.
Related: Great Gifts for RV Owners
$214 from Amazon
Shop Now
The Charge 3 has a large display with easy-to-read OLED technology to check results from tracked activities such as steps, stair-climbing, and sleep, and includes a timed-breathing app and an always-on heart rate monitor. It can run for seven days on a single charge.
$113 from Amazon
Shop Now
This video doorbell, which works with Amazon's Alexa, records at high resolution, including in night vision, and can show video even from before its motion detectors go off. It needs to be hardwired like a regular doorbell, but installation isn't particularly difficult.
$179 from Loop
Shop Now
Share photos and videos with other Loop users right from a smartphone. Simple controls (including voice control) make sharing and video chatting a breeze, and the box can also be used to watch content from the Internet. There's a four-hour battery for roaming.
Related: Fun Gifts for the Entire Family
