Best Streaming Devices for Senior Citizens/Elderly

This post highlights the best streaming device for senior citizens/elderly. I will compare these devices based on various factors, including ease of use, affordability, and available services. 

As more and more users ditch expensive cable TV for streaming services, the elderly shouldn’t be left behind. Many live on fixed incomes and retirement money, and cost-effective streaming options could help.

Moreover, streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Tubi provide a wide range of on-demand options to keep senior citizens engaged and entertained.

Despite offering all these advantages, accessing these streaming services can be challenging for the elderly. They need a suitable streaming device that is easy to set up and navigate because most elderly people are not tech-savvy.

Let’s find out the best streaming device for senior citizens.

Read: How to Install and Use Best VPN for FireStick

How to Choose the Best Streaming Device for Senior Citizens/Elderly

The elderly have several challenges that influence the choice of streaming devices. Consider the following aspects when choosing the best streaming device for them:

• Remote control accessibility: The best combination is a voice-powered remote with a few essential buttons to avoid confusion, and pre-programmed buttons are handy.
• Decluttered user interface: Larger app tiles and fewer categories are better than overlapping apps and lots of menu options.
• Setup process: Choose an easy-to-set-up device that only needs powering on after the initial setup.
• Fewer interface Updates: While regular updates are necessary for streaming devices, frequent changes to the user interface can be confusing to the elderly.

Best Streaming Device for Senior Citizens/Elderly

The following streaming devices transform any digital TV into a smart TV that lets you stream tons of content on the internet. While they aren’t specifically made for the elderly, they possess features that make streaming hassle-free.

1. Amazon Fire TV Stick (FireStick)

The Amazon FireStick is an excellent choice for the elderly for several reasons. This streaming device is simple and tucks behind the TV via the HDMI port. It features an easy-to-use remote with dedicated controls for volume, play and pause, menu, and scrolling.

The Alexa-powered voice control is probably the most advantageous aspect for senior citizens because all they have to do is voice their commands to the remote. For instance, an elderly person can say, “Alexa, Open Netflix” or “Play an Action Movie,” the device will do exactly what they asked.

Amazon FireSticks are affordable, with the entry-level model costing as low as $30. These devices let you stream a wide range of content that pleases the older folks, from movies and TV shows to documentaries and sports. You can even install third-party apps that offer this content for free.

Pros

• Alexa-powered voice remote for easy navigation
• The most diverse selection of apps, thanks to sideloading abilities
• Lots of free content from apps like Tubi, Freevee, and live TV apps
• Affordability
• Offers live TV, on-demand videos, music, gaming and more

Cons

• The app arrangement is quite cluttered, especially after downloading many apps.
• Promotes Amazon content, which can distract an elderly user

Roku

Roku is another streaming device that’s great for senior citizens. Like the FireStick, Roku offers a variety of streaming devices, including sticks, media players, and TVs with built-in streaming abilities. The sticks are particularly compact and easy to set up.

Roku’s remote control is simple and highly responsive, a feature that benefits the elderly. It has big buttons that are easy to press, helping the user navigate the device seamlessly. These include pre-programmed buttons for major streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+.

Roku’s entry-level device lacks a voice remote. However, more advanced models, like Roku Express 4K and Streaming Stick 4K, provide a voice remote with TV controls.

Pros

• Affordable streaming devices
• Navigable user interface with big app tiles and decluttered arrangement
• Decent app library including apps that offer free content
• A responsive streaming device with no to minimal lagging

Cons

• Not all models offer a voice remote
• Limited app selection and complicated sideloading option

Apple TV 4K

Apple TV 4K is a pricier streaming device, but it provides real value for your money. Thanks to its 4K video quality, Dolby Vision, and spatial audio support, this device provides a cinematic viewing experience.

The remote control is compact, sleek, and highly responsive. It is Siri-powered, letting you quickly navigate the user interface through voice commands. Siri even knows who is talking and can recognize the voices of up to six family members.

If you already have the Apple ecosystem, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, and HomePod, Apple TV 4K will be a good addition.

Pros

• Cinematic streaming experience
• Decluttered user interface with large app tiles
• Integrates with other Apple devices
• Quality original content and lots of content from major streaming services

Cons

• Relatively expensive
• Limited app selection and complicated sideloading options

Google Streamer

The Google Streamers best for senior citizens include the Google Streamer 4K and Chromecast with Google TV. These two have slightly different features but provide access to online content like movies, TV shows, sports, and live TV.

The two attach to your TV’s HDMI port to provide endless online content via the internet. You’ll need a good internet connection because Google Streamers offers high video quality, up to 4K, which consumes more bandwidth.

With a Google Streamer, you can watch your favorite streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube TV, and Apple TV+ in one place. The apps are easy to install from the Google Play Store. The user interface is easy to navigate, with content categorized into Live TV, Apps, and Library. You also get recommendations under the For You page.

Pros

• Epic streaming experience with Dolby Vision and high-quality audio
• A vast library of streaming apps for movies, TV shows, sports, and live TV
• Navigable user interface
• Voice-supported remote control

Cons

• The remote lacks a fast-forward and rewind button
• The For You section might be pushy with the recommendations

Your FireStick / Fire TV is now all ready to stream your favorite content. However, before you start, I would like to warn you that everything you stream online is visible to your ISP and Government. This means, streaming free movies, TV shows, Sports might get you into legal trouble. 

Thankfully, there is a foolproof way to keep all your streaming activities hidden from your ISP and the Government. All you need is a good VPN for Fire Stick. A VPN will mask your original IP which is and will help you bypass Online Surveillance, ISP throttling, and content geo-restrictions.

I personally use and recommend ExpressVPN, which is the fastest and most secure VPN. It is compatible with all kinds of streaming apps and is very easy to install on Fire TV / Stick.

We do not encourage the violation of copyright laws. But, what if you end up streaming content from an illegitimate source unintentionally? It is not always easy to tell the difference between a legit and illegal source.

So, before you start streaming on your Fire Stick / Fire TV, let’s see how to use ExpressVPN to keep your streaming activities hidden from prying eyes.

Step 1: Subscribe to ExpressVPN HERE. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Meaning, you can use it free for the first 30-days and if you are not satisfied with the performance (which is highly unlikely), you can ask for a full refund.

Step 2: Power ON your Fire TV Stick and go to Find followed by Search option.

Step 3: Now type “Expressvpn” (without quotes) in the search bar and select ExpressVPN when it shows up in the search results.

Step 4: Click Download to install the ExpressVPN app on Fire TV / Stick.

Step 5: Open the app and enter the login credentials that you created while buying the ExpressVPN subscription. Click Sign in.

Step 6: Click the Power icon to connect to a VPN server. That’s all. Your connection is now secure with the fastest and best VPN for FireStick.

You can also read more detailed info on using ExpressVPN with Fire TV / Stick.

Wrapping Up

Streaming devices are plenty in the market, but not all will work for the elderly. A good streaming device for senior citizens should have a clutter-free user interface, a simple yet accessible remote control, and quality video and audio. This post provides the best streaming device for senior citizens/elderly.

Related:

• Best VPN for FireStick
• How to Jailbreak FireStick
• Roku vs. FireStick (2024 Review) — What is the Difference?
• Best FireStick Hidden Features to Upgrade Streaming Experience

Legal Disclaimer - FireStickTricks.com does not verify the legality or security of any add-ons, apps or services mentioned on this site. Also, we do not promote, host or link to copyright-protected streams. We highly discourage piracy and strictly advise our readers to avoid it at all costs. Any mention of free streaming on our site is purely meant for copyright-free content that is available in the Public domain. Read our full disclaimer.

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