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Post by doublestuf on Mar 2, 2024 16:26:39 GMT -6
Anyone have any ideas for an easy to use device to listen to an audio book? My grandma loves to read but is having a harder time with her eyes. She is still mentally sharp and physically well enough to live alone, so I know she is bored without her books to pass the time.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Mar 2, 2024 17:10:07 GMT -6
Hmmm does she do OK with the TV remote? I ask cause there's supposed to be a few free YouTube channels with a lot of audiobooks on them. Could be an interim starting point.
Does she have any experience with a tablet or smartphone?
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Post by coffeecake on Mar 2, 2024 17:44:09 GMT -6
Would she be able to use a kindle fire or other tablet? You could get her an Audible subscription. I also have Hoopla through our public library and have the app downloaded to my tablet. I think it’s pretty simple to use and they have lots of audiobooks.
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Post by mothafuckinteatime on Mar 2, 2024 18:09:01 GMT -6
You can do audible with Alexa, so she can ask it to read to her.
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Post by doublestuf on Mar 2, 2024 18:19:38 GMT -6
Hmmm does she do OK with the TV remote? I ask cause there's supposed to be a few free YouTube channels with a lot of audiobooks on them. Could be an interim starting point. Does she have any experience with a tablet or smartphone? No, she has never used a tablet or smartphone. She also still has a satellite, so she doesn't stream TV. She does have wi-fi and a laptop though. My aunt, uncle, dad, and cousin are in and out throughout the day but don't stay there all day. I wonder if they could pull up Audible on her laptop so all she had to hit was play? |
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Mar 2, 2024 18:23:15 GMT -6
Hmmm does she do OK with the TV remote? I ask cause there's supposed to be a few free YouTube channels with a lot of audiobooks on them. Could be an interim starting point. Does she have any experience with a tablet or smartphone? No, she has never used a tablet or smartphone. She also still has a satellite, so she doesn't stream TV. She does have wi-fi and a laptop though. My aunt, uncle, dad, and cousin are in and out throughout the day but don't stay there all day. I wonder if they could pull up Audible on her laptop so all she had to hit was play? If she has a laptop that may work. If she's ok navigating laptop she probably would be good on a tablet or Kindle. Could do basically a kids tablet so all the extra things could be turned off so she can't accidently mess it up. |
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Post by doublestuf on Mar 2, 2024 18:24:15 GMT -6
You can do audible with Alexa, so she can ask it to read to her. I hadn't thought about that. An Echo Dot might be the easiest way to go. |
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Post by starrynight on Mar 2, 2024 18:32:22 GMT -6
You can do audible with Alexa, so she can ask it to read to her. I hadn't thought about that. An Echo Dot might be the easiest way to go. My daughter uses a Dot for some books that we have on audible. It works well! |
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sterling
Global Moderator 
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Post by sterling on Mar 2, 2024 19:10:14 GMT -6
Spotify recently added a ton of audiobooks. Maybe make her a playlist that she can just play from a connected device?
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Bookshelves
Emerald
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Post by Bookshelves on Mar 2, 2024 21:06:20 GMT -6
We set up an iPad for my GMIL several years ago and changed all the accessibility settings. She is legally blind so I did some research at the time on the best ways to do that. It was an old iPad, and this was about 7 years ago, so if you go that route I’m sure my advice is all outdated, but at the time, I found some tutorials on Google. We did it for FaceTime and kept it in one of those bright, chunky foam kid’s cases, with an easel back, set up by her chair and plugged in. Often when she answered, all we saw were her socks, but she was thrilled to see us. I did set up Libby on it for Audiobooks, but it was a little too tricky for her to see the controls even when we set it up. If she could’ve seen the app better, it would’ve been OK. She preferred to use this (maybe your state has similar, if she would qualify?) — www.in.gov/library/tbbl/She is struggling too much now to use the iPad (will be 96 soon) but still listens to the taped books from that service. |
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Post by cabbagecabbage on Mar 3, 2024 13:00:38 GMT -6
I use the Libby app to rent audiobooks from my local library for free. If you could set up the app for her (but check because different line offer different apps) it’s a great and completely free and easy once you’ve set it up and logged in with your card number.
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Post by marsinvestigations on Mar 3, 2024 17:56:26 GMT -6
Not sure what state you are in, but in PA there is a talking book program through the Carnegie Library. It’s free and through the mail for those who are blind or VI. They send a very basic and easy to use player and cartridges and when the person is done, they mail the cartridges back (free postage) and then get new books. You can choose the genre and types of books. It is super easy to use for those who are not so big on technology.
If you have a local blind association, I would reach out to them to see if you have anything similar in your state.
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Bookshelves
Emerald
Generally at a 2
Posts: 11,534
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Post by Bookshelves on Mar 3, 2024 18:33:38 GMT -6
Not sure what state you are in, but in PA there is a talking book program through the Carnegie Library. It’s free and through the mail for those who are blind or VI. They send a very basic and easy to use player and cartridges and when the person is done, they mail the cartridges back (free postage) and then get new books. You can choose the genre and types of books. It is super easy to use for those who are not so big on technology. If you have a local blind association, I would reach out to them to see if you have anything similar in your state. This is like the program my GMIL uses — you explained it much better than I did. It has been such a blessing to her! The ones for her program look like this, so they are much easier to use by feel, unlike any touchscreen device.  |
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Post by doublestuf on Mar 3, 2024 21:18:22 GMT -6
Not sure what state you are in, but in PA there is a talking book program through the Carnegie Library. It’s free and through the mail for those who are blind or VI. They send a very basic and easy to use player and cartridges and when the person is done, they mail the cartridges back (free postage) and then get new books. You can choose the genre and types of books. It is super easy to use for those who are not so big on technology. If you have a local blind association, I would reach out to them to see if you have anything similar in your state. That's awesome! We're in NC. I'll have to see what I can find. Thank you! |
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Post by marsinvestigations on Mar 3, 2024 21:46:56 GMT -6
Not sure what state you are in, but in PA there is a talking book program through the Carnegie Library. It’s free and through the mail for those who are blind or VI. They send a very basic and easy to use player and cartridges and when the person is done, they mail the cartridges back (free postage) and then get new books. You can choose the genre and types of books. It is super easy to use for those who are not so big on technology. If you have a local blind association, I would reach out to them to see if you have anything similar in your state. This is like the program my GMIL uses — you explained it much better than I did. It has been such a blessing to her! The ones for her program look like this, so they are much easier to use by feel, unlike any touchscreen device. this is the same one the Carnegie library uses. So easy, especially when you can’t really see what you’re doing. |
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Post by angelashly on Mar 7, 2024 10:26:45 GMT -6
You can do audible with Alexa, so she can ask it to read to her. This is what I did for my aunt when she couldn’t physically read anymore. For Christmas we got her an audible subscription and an echo dot so she could have it by her reading chair |
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