Technology The Best Video Chat Apps for Seniors 3/15/2021 | By Seniors Guide Staff Most of us are well aware of the need for social distancing and isolating as the pandemic moves into its second year. Maintaining communications with seniors does wonders for their mental health, and video chatting is an excellent method of staying in touch with them. Unfortunately, video chat apps can confuse those who are not comfortable and familiar with the technology. For instance, some have complicated features and require a login and password. The good news is that some of the best video chat apps for seniors are an excellent fit for a technology-shy older loved one looking for a simple connection. Here are a few to consider. Oscar Senior Oscar Senior is a specialized app for almost all smartphones and tablets. It is an all-in-one software solution designed for older adults, allowing for communication between seniors and their loved ones. Its uncluttered design features large, easy-to-find buttons and widgets with large text. Pressing a couple of buttons is all it takes to start a video call. Oscar Senior is downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. The app has an auto-answer feature, meaning that a video call begins automatically without the senior having to touch anything. A group video chat feature allows various family members to check on the senior member. In addition to calling, texting, and video chatting, Oscar Senior can track important care data. Facebook Messenger Lite Facebook Messenger Lite is a smaller version of Facebook Messenger. Lite eliminates some of the full version features that could confuse some users and emphasizes text messages and video or voice calls. Sending pictures and videos is still available in Messenger Lite, and its interface is nearly identical no matter which device you use it on. As with the standard Messenger mobile app, you can use Lite without a Facebook account, and it’s relatively easy to call or text contacts from any device. While the app is free, it’s essential to make video calls happen over Wi-Fi, or you could increase data usage and generate some overage charges. WhatsApp Also owned by Facebook, WhatsApp is free and one of the best video chat apps for seniors due to its excellent privacy settings. Messages and call data are protected with end-to-end encryption, meaning that those in the conversation are the only ones who can access or read them. WhatsApp’s interface is easy to use, with some claiming it is even simpler than Facebook Messenger Lite’s functional interface. Like Messenger, WhatsApp users can contact other Whatsapp users and any contacts saved to the device. Everything on the service is free, including messages, voice calls, and video chats. WhatsApp has dedicated Windows and Mac apps, along with Android and iOS versions. FaceTime FaceTime is the video chat app that comes with your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, making it the best option for people who already have an Apple device and will only be communicating with other Apple users. However, if you will be contacting people on other platforms like Android or Windows, you should probably pick one of the cross-platform apps mentioned earlier. There is no extra app to install, and any iOS accessibility options you’ve chosen will also be applied to FaceTime. The interface is easy to use and learn, especially if the person is already comfortable with other Apple apps like iMessage. Skype Skype is another one of the best video chat apps for seniors. Created by Microsoft, Skype works on smartphones, tablets, and computers. It’s easy to sign up using an email address to create an account. After that, it’s a matter of adding contacts with their username or phone number. Selecting the username is all it takes to start a video call. An excellent Skype feature allows elderly users to turn on live subtitles to assist them if they are hard of hearing. A Step-by-Step Guide to Zoom The apps mentioned on this list are among the easiest to use for older adults who might be technologically challenged. However, the tech-savvy could consider apps such as Zoom Meeting, Facebook Messenger, Discord, Google, or Duo. Keep in mind that most of these are more complicated, requiring signing up and doing more navigation steps when making a video call. Read More Seniors Guide Staff Seniors Guide has been addressing traditional topics and upcoming trends in the senior living industry since 1999. We strive to educate seniors and their loved ones in an approachable manner, and aim to provide them with the right information to make the best decisions possible.