Audio books and old age?

[Dry Rot]

Not strictly manflu, but I have a bored older sister (88) with an active mind who lives alone outside Reading. She is regularly visited by her two children in their 60s, but is still bored because she is not computer literate (yeah, I know!) and has poor eye sight but can still watch TV (just). She is also anti-social and isn't going to join any groups for older people. When she was younger, she was a great reader and always had her nose in a book

I've just done a search with Google on audio books as she is phoning me up in the day time being a nuisance (I love her dearly!) when I am trying to work! Audio books would seem the solution but of course everything is computer orientated these days so that's no good. (I haven't a clue what an "ap" is and she wouldn't know how to use a computer if she had one!). It would probably have to be physical medium through the post.

If son and daughter are going to help her, I can see I am going to have to do the donkey work. But I am 600 miles away and also in my 80s! So, is there anyone out there in a similar situation who has solved the problem and can suggest a something? Thanks in advance.

 

[WullieG]

My late mother in law had one of these from the RNIB, and it worked well for her (click below)

DAISY

Hope this helps.......

 

[Lili]

Not strictly manflu, but I have a bored older sister (88) with an active mind who lives alone outside Reading. She is regularly visited by her two children in their 60s, but is still bored because she is not computer literate (yeah, I know!) and has poor eye sight but can still watch TV (just). She is also anti-social and isn't going to join any groups for older people. When she was younger, she was a great reader and always had her nose in a book

I've just done a search with Google on audio books as she is phoning me up in the day time being a nuisance (I love her dearly!) when I am trying to work! Audio books would seem the solution but of course everything is computer orientated these days so that's no good. (I haven't a clue what an "ap" is and she wouldn't know how to use a computer if she had one!). It would probably have to be physical medium through the post.

If son and daughter are going to help her, I can see I am going to have to do the donkey work. But I am 600 miles away and also in my 80s! So, is there anyone out there in a similar situation who has solved the problem and can suggest a something? Thanks in advance.

1. Local lending library will have audio books on CD - but not a normal situation at the moment.
2. Can she get a library van to call? (rural area only) She should be able to pre order audiobooks from them
3 .How bad is her eyesight? Would she qualify for RNIB Talking books service - audiobooks by post?
4 Simple tablet (touchscreen) download the Borrowbox app. One time log on using her local library card (all free) Huge choice of audiobooks and books (she could adjust the print size easily)

 

[Hesstondriver]

my suggestion would be ebay for used cds of audio books , you could order them and have them delivered straight to her door , i bet they are a cheep as chips

 

[sjt01]

I have not tried it, but if you can get her to use a phone app, Libby can be registered with your library card, then you can download audio books via the library for free. Perhaps you could do this for her.

 

[primmiemoo]

Oxfam (other charities are also available) sells audio books as CDs from their online shop. Their offer depends on what's been donated, but there might be something she'd like. You could order them, and as @Hesstondriver says, have them delivered to her.

 

[Dry Rot]

Thanks, guys, some excellent suggestions there. My sister is very independent and complains that her daughter keeps trying to do things for her, so I have to be careful! She'd run a mile from a tablet -- and I'm not sure I would know one if it bit me! Off to pass on the instructions.

 

[Clive]

Not strictly manflu, but I have a bored older sister (88) with an active mind who lives alone outside Reading. She is regularly visited by her two children in their 60s, but is still bored because she is not computer literate (yeah, I know!) and has poor eye sight but can still watch TV (just). She is also anti-social and isn't going to join any groups for older people. When she was younger, she was a great reader and always had her nose in a book

I've just done a search with Google on audio books as she is phoning me up in the day time being a nuisance (I love her dearly!) when I am trying to work! Audio books would seem the solution but of course everything is computer orientated these days so that's no good. (I haven't a clue what an "ap" is and she wouldn't know how to use a computer if she had one!). It would probably have to be physical medium through the post.

If son and daughter are going to help her, I can see I am going to have to do the donkey work. But I am 600 miles away and also in my 80s! So, is there anyone out there in a similar situation who has solved the problem and can suggest a something? Thanks in advance.

get a simple, cheap android or google tablet and ask a local geek to install Audible, set uo and account and delete EVERYTHING else on the device so its really simple?

done right easier than putting a cd in and playing it

 

[JP1]

Not strictly manflu, but I have a bored older sister (88) with an active mind who lives alone outside Reading. She is regularly visited by her two children in their 60s, but is still bored because she is not computer literate (yeah, I know!) and has poor eye sight but can still watch TV (just). She is also anti-social and isn't going to join any groups for older people. When she was younger, she was a great reader and always had her nose in a book

I've just done a search with Google on audio books as she is phoning me up in the day time being a nuisance (I love her dearly!) when I am trying to work! Audio books would seem the solution but of course everything is computer orientated these days so that's no good. (I haven't a clue what an "ap" is and she wouldn't know how to use a computer if she had one!). It would probably have to be physical medium through the post.

If son and daughter are going to help her, I can see I am going to have to do the donkey work. But I am 600 miles away and also in my 80s! So, is there anyone out there in a similar situation who has solved the problem and can suggest a something? Thanks in advance.

Does she have broadband ?

If so (and you’ll have to do some of the leg work) , buy her an Amazon Alexa pebble

Set up an Amazon account and train the Pebble to recognise your Sister’s voice and frequent instructions

She can choose audio books or go with online recommendations

Audible free 60 day trial thereafter £7.99/ month with one free credit a month

Your Sister can use voice commands to play any of her books , rewind , pause , stop , set alarms or ask the time etc

I’m listening to Michelle Obama Becoming read by her

 

[Dry Rot]

Does she have broadband ?

If so (and you’ll have to do some of the leg work) , buy her an Amazon Alexa pebble

Set up an Amazon account and train the Pebble to recognise your Sister’s voice and frequent instructions

She can choose audio books or go with online recommendations

Audible free 60 day trial thereafter £7.99/ month with one free credit a month

Your Sister can use voice commands to play any of her books , rewind , pause , stop , set alarms or ask the time etc

I’m listening to Michelle Obama Becoming read by her

I don't think she knows what Broadband is! She is my sister, after all, and we can't help genetics! But thanks anyway!

 

[Dry Rot]

get a simple, cheap android or google tablet and ask a local geek to install Audible, set uo and account and delete EVERYTHING else on the device so its really simple?

done right easier than putting a cd in and playing it

Ah, there's the rub. Not a snowball's chance of her doing it right!

 

[JP1]

I don't think she knows what Broadband is! She is my sister, after all, and we can't help genetics! But thanks anyway!

You can just get it laid on

 

[MRT]

my suggestion would be ebay for used cds of audio books , you could order them and have them delivered straight to her door , i bet they are a cheep as chips

Had Daphne Du Marier Jamaica Inn on last time we had reason to visit Cornwall bought on fleabay

 

[Dry Rot]

Well, the verdict of my neice on a CD player and audio books for my aging sister, "She'll never manage the on/off button". I THINK she was joking, but she may not have been!

Some people really do have a terror of technology. Not my sister but I knew an old lady, not long dead, who would very carefully wipe her hand with a towel before turning the light on by the switch as she knew how dangerous electricity could be if there was any dampness about!

 

[Daniel]

My 91 year old Grandma was bought a basic Samsung tablet with sim card in it at the start of the pandemic.

She has it sat on a stand and plugged in to the charger all the time, and merrily receives video calls on WhatsApp from her grandchildren and great grandchildren etc.

She can't open a WhatsApp message, or do anything else with it! Someone pops in to log her in to the zoom call for the local church service I believe, so that helps keep her engaged with local life too.

As Clive said, I reckon you could delete everything off the tablet, and you could purchase the audio books your end and send them to the audible app on her tablet. Keep the tablet plugged in to the charger and into a decent speaker and she should be able to listen to the books?

 

[Dry Rot]

My 91 year old Grandma was bought a basic Samsung tablet with sim card in it at the start of the pandemic.

She has it sat on a stand and plugged in to the charger all the time, and merrily receives video calls on WhatsApp from her grandchildren and great grandchildren etc.

She can't open a WhatsApp message, or do anything else with it! Someone pops in to log her in to the zoom call for the local church service I believe, so that helps keep her engaged with local life too.

As Clive said, I reckon you could delete everything off the tablet, and you could purchase the audio books your end and send them to the audible app on her tablet. Keep the tablet plugged in to the charger and into a decent speaker and she should be able to listen to the books?

That sounds a great idea except I am not sure her 81 year old brother would be able to cope with the technicalities this end as he his Doro mobile phone sat on the charging cradle, subscribed to Labara (£3.50/m), has had less than half a dozen calls through it in the last six months!

But, seriously, I have nephew and niece onto it now threatened with cutting back their inheritance to a mere £500,000 each if they don't get my sister off my back! (Anyone seen "Laughter in Paradise"? Worth a watch). I hate telephone calls at the best oif times, but drunk and during the day is pushing it!

Thanks, everyone, for your help. Whatever would we do without TFF?

 

[Clive]

there is a business here for someone setting up and configuring tablets to perform a simple, single task as easy as possible for skill limited users

 

[Y Fan Wen]

I subscribed my parents to this service when reading got too much for them. They got compact cassettes first and moved on to the cd format later. Very good service and never had any problems.

Listening Books - an online audiobooks charity

Listening Books, a UK charity providing an audiobook lending service to those who cannot read or access printed books due to a print disability.

www.listening-books.org.uk

 

[Lofty1984]

Off the back of this I joined my local library online and then downloaded a free app called borrowbox loads of free ebooks and audio

 

[Dry Rot]

there is a business here for someone setting up and configuring tablets to perform a simple, single task as easy as possible for skill limited users

Definitely! Doro is apparently a mobile designed for old people. A thank you to Highland Mule for saving my sanity and explaining they work best after you've turned them on! I never would have thought of that. Don't have to do that with the dog.