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E-readers for seniors: What is the best e-reader for a senior?

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What is the best e-reader for a senior?

Question

My elderly father has expressed interest in purchasing an e-reader. I am feeling overwhelmed by the number of different e-readers that are available for purchase. Do you have any recommendations as to which e-readers are most appropriate for seniors?

Our answer

Products mentioned in our answer below are provided to inform you about the types of technologies available and have not been evaluated by CanAssist. They may or may not be appropriate for your particular situation. Some technologies and devices may require an in-person assessment. Speak with your health care provider for additional information and support.

There are many e-readers available on the market, so it is completely understandable that you are feeling overwhelmed by the wide selection. There are many factors to consider before purchasing an e-reader. For example, depending on you and your father’s situation, you may want to think about price, screen size, ease-of-use, device weight, storage, ability to withstand water exposure, battery life or perhaps some other factor.
Below are some examples of e-readers that you may wish to learn more about:

  • Kindle Paperwhite (at Amazon Canada) offers a high-resolution display (300 ppi), a long-lasting battery life and a built-in adjustable light. Unlike tablets, the Kindle Paperwhite is also glare-free. This product costs about $130 to $150 (CDN), plus a shipping fee.
  • Kobo Clara HD (at Rakuten Kobo) offers a six-inch display touchscreen (300 ppi) and a long lasting battery life. This e-reader costs about $150 (CDN), plus a shipping fee.
  • Kindle Oasis (at Amazon Canada) offers a 7-inch display (300 ppi), a light ergonomic design, a glare-free screen and a long-lasting battery life. This e-reader, which is also waterproof, costs about $330 to $360 (CDN), plus a shipping fee.

Most e-readers also allows you to borrow from public libraries when using the library borrowing app Libby, available for both Android and Apple devices. Lifewire published an article entitled We Tested the Best E-readers for Seniors—Here Are Our Top Picks, E-Readers and Other Tech Devices Seniors Will Love, and What makes ebooks popular with seniors? which provides more detailed information about some of the e-readers mentioned above as well as some information on other e-readers that you may want to consider.

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