Member Stories

Joan, Iowa, Age 83

Joan is the matriarch of a large family that includes 10 children, 21 grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren, many of whom live out of state.

Keeping tabs on her large family, from a small town in Iowa, was difficult as Joan never owned a smartphone or computer.

Fortunately, those days of isolation are a thing of the past for this head of the family now that she has a GrandPad.

Joan looks forward to playing games, listening to music, daily emails, family pictures, and face-to-face chats. The GrandPad brings her family to her and has become a prized possession.

"My family is spread out all over, it makes me feel connected"

I have always been close to my grandmother Joan, so when I moved out of state, while pregnant with my first child, I was worried that I would have very few opportunities to share my new, little one with someone so dear to me. To my surprise, Iowa doesn't seem so far away when I use the GrandPad to video chat with Grandma. With the GrandPad, I am able to stay connected with my grandmother, and she can watch all of my little girl's milestones. The GrandPad keeps this long-distance family together. - Jill (granddaughter) - Nevada - Age 35

My mom is hooked on her GrandPad and doesn't leave home without it. She'll tell you it's changed her life. She tells me a GrandPad story every time I talk to her. A great benefit for me has been the GrandPad companion app on my iPhone. I post pictures regularly as I work in my garden and remodel in my house so Mom and my family can share in my progress. My reward is seeing what the rest of the family is posting. I haven't met two of my great nieces yet, but I have been able to watch them grow up with videos and pictures being posted on the GrandPad companion app. The first and last thing I do every day is check the GrandPad companion App to see what the rest of the family is up to. I love it! - Amy (daughter) - Iowa - Age 57

The GrandPad has been changing my mother's life. She is now electronically connected to all of her children, not to mention her grandchildren and even great grandchildren. Mom is "in the know" with all of my siblings and their families and is watching the next generation of kids grow up in real time, as we post pictures and videos for her daily. Our entire family has benefited from the GrandPad. It's so exciting to have our mother connected with us, and we love how Mom uses her GrandPad as a brag book to show off the family pictures when she visits with her friends. - Jill (daughter) - Iowa - Age 51

Clarabelle, Iowa, Age 77

Clarabelle had never used a computer. She has 11 children spread around the US and has been left out of the digital family communications. She picked up GrandPad and within a few minutes sent an email with her message as a voice attachment to her daughter. To do this she just selected the person she wanted to send it to, speaking her message, hit the big green SEND button! She loves to see the weather and local time for each of her children, listen to her favorite music from back in the day and play games on her GrandPad. Her favorite, is getting new pictures and videos daily, especially of the grand kids and great grandchildren.

Her hopes are for all other seniors to get the opportunity to connect with their family and friends with GrandPad, keeping them from feeling lonely and isolated when their families live at a distance. Feeling more connected everyday has made Clarabelle happier, as if her family is still inside her home every day.

My grandparents are not in a generation to understand the technology that their children and grandchildren are able to access these days. My grandparents now have a GrandPad and are able to stay active in the lives of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Living farther away from my family, they do not get to see my children daily or weekly so it is nice to be able to send or upload a picture, video or note to them with new things that are going on with my kids. And I know they are able to easily view them and not get frustrated if they click the wrong button. I remember getting phone calls from my parents about how to run the computer they just got. We won't be getting these calls about the GrandPad because it is very easy to use. - Heather (granddaughter) Iowa- Age 28

GrandPad has been a great device for my mom. Struggling with the daily challenges of ALS, she is still easily able to use GrandPad! It is definitely designed with simplicity and easy to use! Family is the most important thing to her, and basically being homebound, she is still able to connect daily with our large, spread out family! I live near her, so am able to visit often, and get to see first hand the enjoyment she gets out of her GrandPad! She passes the time with music and games, and enjoys scrolling through the pictures every day. This has made her much more upbeat , and has brought many smiles back to her life! Thank you, GrandPad team for this wonderful tool! - Dennis (Son) - Iowa - Age 48

Our family is so grateful for the connection GrandPad has allowed us to stay close to our mom. With our mom being "gramma" and "great gramma" to so many far and near, it has given her access to be connected with all her family with minimal effort. Being diagnosed with ALS in the spring of this year, GrandPad has given our mom a way to communicate to all of us (near and far) with minimal effort. Even at times, if she can't physically respond to all her pictures and messages she receives, she can see that we are all there for her and each other. That's important to her ... which makes it important to us..it all matters. GrandPad makes a difference ... and not only to grandparents but grandparents with GRAND differences!! - Kay (daughter) South Carolina - Age 52

Paul "Gawkie", Minnesota, Age 93

Gawkie never made an effort to adapt to the new technology that was becoming so common with younger generations. He once owned a computer for three whole days, and got so fed up with it that he told the young man down the hall in his apartment complex "As long as that thing is gone by tomorrow morning, you can have it for free. I don't care what you need to do, I just don't want the darned thing, get it out of here!"

Since he was introduced to the GrandPad a few months ago, he has used it every day that he could - sometimes his wife just about has to yank it out of his hands to get him to clean the dishes! The simplicity of the device and the capabilities it has means that he can easily stay connected with his kids and grandkids without all the frustration that can come from using a regular computer or smartphone.

"Holy cow I am having a great time. love you. dad"

The cartoon this week gave me a big laugh so I just had to return your message. I enjoy your messages and your pictures. Thank you so much for being so nice to me, I appreciate it and thank you for it

I get up in the morning and the first thing I want to do is check the GrandPad to see if I got any new emails or pictures

I love solitaire, I play it every day since I got the GrandPad. I can sit right in my chair and play, that way it's good for my back. - Gawkie, using the Email, Photos, and Games built into the GrandPad

My Dad had never emailed before. Now at 92 years old he's loving emailing his kids and grandkids. The voice emails are priceless. Nobody wants to delete them! My dad loves the Grandpad so much. It's the first thing he does when he gets up in the morning and the last before bed! Being out of town I don't get to see my aging parents often enough. Video calling has been a fun way to see them while living far apart! It's so fun for my parents to get pictures from kids and grandkids. It makes them feel so much more connected! - Carol (daughter)

I never thought I would ever be able to send a picture to my grandpa like this, it's amazing how easy it was for him to get up to date on technology - Michael (grandson)

Margaret, California, Age 81

Margaret had never really used a computer and the one she had did not work very well. Recently she moved into an assisted living facility. Her kids would visit every once in a while, but not as often as they would like. She is a little more restricted now and doesn't take the long drives and visit as she used to do. It was hard for her to keep up with her 4 children and grandkids. She realized that if she wanted to connect with her family, she would need to do something. Along came GrandPad and her life has changed for the better.

Margaret does not go anywhere without her GrandPad. She likes to keep in touch with her family as well as watch music videos on the GrandPad, she loves Frank Sinatra.

"It's so simple and is just what I need. I'm turning into quite the history buff. I like the emails that GrandPad sends me, especially Today in History."