I'm searching for a suitable media device, like a tablet, for my elderly mom who has dementia. I'd like to set it up to run continuously and be able to control it remotely, allowing me to load movies, pictures, and videos for her enjoyment. Ideally, she should be able to interact with it using just her finger. I'm considering using a simple Windows directory with big icons for easy navigation. Since I live far away, I need full remote control of the device, and it should be easily accessible for her. I've looked into remote software options and found TeamViewer and Splashtop, with a slight preference for Splashtop. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
Splashtop should work fine, but keep in mind that you'll need a premium subscription to gain control from a different network. I'm not sure if it can handle loading content remotely though. You might want to think about setting up a Plex server on your end for easier media access.
I've used TeamViewer for a long time for this kind of thing. It works great with PCs and might be a solid option for you too.
I'm really happy with NoMachine. You can set it up across a network with ZeroTier, which gives you access from anywhere. It's compatible with Windows, MacOS, and Linux as the host and works great on iOS and Android as clients.
You could consider using an Echo device with a Fire Tablet. This setup allows you to sync everything you need. She can control her media by voice, and I used to chat with my mom via Echo Dot to her Fire Tablet, which worked well even with the distance between us.
In my experience, iPads are easily the best choice for my parents. They’re user-friendly, perform well, and that reduces tech support calls for me. You can create shortcuts with big icons so they can do everything with a single touch. Plus, with a family plan, sharing and uploading media is super easy, and I've had no issues using Zoom, TeamViewer, or Google Remote.
That sounds great! Do iPads require any subscription to use?
Thanks for the heads up! If I can remote into the tablet, could I also load videos directly from my Google Drive?