I’m not very pro-Apple, but I’d have to say iPad. It’s pretty hard to get in trouble with them. I’m assuming all they want to do is e-mail and browsing and such.
The Amazon Kindle tablets also seem to be simple and they are a good bit cheaper.
I believe Teamviewer can be set up on the ipad and as a bonus, it’s free for non-commercial use. I think that’s not a bad idea at all.
I disagree with this point. My husband is a C5/6 quad with very limited hand movement. When I bought his iPad I got a keyboard with it because I doubted he’d be able to swipe etc but he manages just fine and has never used the keyboard. Granted, he can’t use four finger gestures etc but he has no trouble otherwise.
I’m not elderly but I’ve got seriously jittery fingers and while occasionally it causes me to hit the wrong app and it’s frustrating during timed quiz games shakes fist it’s otherwise a non issue with my ipad.
My inlaws each have one of our handme down ipads and they’ve been amazing. Support calls have gone way down and they love being able to play their games and my FIL keeps all of his notes and stuff on there so it’s handy when they’re out shopping or exploring. We have been considering updating them to a more recent hand me down but haven’t done it yet.
My legally blind friend also uses one and it’s awesome for him since he can zoom in easily on everything.
Wow. I am surprised that there is this much of a consensus. To address a couple of issues raised: I wouldn’t expect them to get any word attachments. Jittery fingers could be an issue, I suppose, but I already know that a mouse is a huge stumbling block for my mother. She just can’t figure out which way to move it. A touch screen would be more obvious for one, and require less actual movement. Price isn’t a huge consideration, especially when there’s a clear standout. Thanks for all the replies. You’ve really helped.
iPad
Huh? iPads start at $299.
whatever you do, do not get a new ipad 2 from the store. it’s a rip-off.
So why would a new iPad 2 purchased from “the store” be a ripoff? What is “the store” anyhow?
I assume the reasoning is that the Ipad 2 is really old tech - they’ve maintained it as their “cheap” option for a long long time in terms of tech, but the price really isn’t that low. I agree that you should go for the lowest storage/wifi of the current Ipad or go for a Kindle if that is too expensive. The Ipad 2 (and the original ipad mini) are relatively overpriced vs a new ipads IMO.
imho i think the consensus is correct. i specialize in teaching the tech-gap population. Tho i prefer windows for my own use - i was recently introduced to Apple via my youngster daughter. For the purposes you describe, it would be perfect for them. i think they will be fighting over time on device 
btw: phone consults are low-intensity training methods i employ frequently. i agree the advice about setting up a remote option is spot on! And be sure to tell them not bank/buy online[and i am available if you want to offer them that option.]
Yeah but that’s for the non-Retina mini. Don’t get that version - it’s harder on the eyes. I would suggest either a Retina mini or the iPad air, so that weight won’t be a problem.
For a budget, I’d suggest the Kindle Fire HDX, which includes a Mayday button where she can talk to a live person at any time if she has question. The Fire’s carousel interface might be a little daunting, however, compared to iOS. But at least she’d be calling tech support, not you, when she gets confused.
Also give them a map to the nearest Apple Store if there’s one in their town. My mother has issues with her mail (She’s 90). I make the appointment for her midweek when it’s usually slow, she drives down to the mall, and goes into her helpless old lady act. Even if it’s an education thing and not a fix, they help her.
(OTOH, I have never been able to get her to grasp the concept of the desktop, the page, the window or the folder. Remote support is very difficult. )
My 82 year old in-laws just got an iPad Air.
They. Love. It.
My father in-law suffered a stroke 40 years ago that left him with no use of his right hand. He can prop the iPad in it’s case we go for it on his lap and use his left hand to tap.
A double tap will zoom in making small links easier to click.
They can now check their email without hassle, facetime with grandkids, play some brain games, read the comics, check the NFL scores…etc, etc.
Mother-in-law was adamant that she did not want a facebook account until I pried it out of her that the reason was she didn’t want everyone to know what she was doing. OK, so don’t post anything, but you can look at what OTHER people in your life are up to. Now she’s a facebook pro after just a few days. Family from all over the country have contacted her. It’s wonderful.
The set-up is easy, and they spent less than they would have on a replacement laptop. (She has one that was getting old and she hated waiting for it to boot up.) The iPad has no boot time. It’s ready to go whenever they are.
I should add, I did a little research on apps for the elderly and a few suggestions were good. There are pill reminder apps, magnifier apps for reading menus and such, but Skype and Pandora are on every list. She uses Pandora every day for listening to her Anne Murray station. We didn’t download Skype because FaceTime is is sufficient for her.
Some other apps we added for them: CBS, ABC, NBC, Netflix, HBOGo, Words with Friends, Word Search, NY Times Crossword, Life Magazine, NPR, Facebook, NFL, Google Earth, Go Comics…
And teach them how to use Siri to open apps and ask for searches if they have trouble with their fingers.
Great ideas, Hockey Monkey. I hadn’t even thought of apps, but I think they will love Pandora. And they are fascinated with Siri when they’ve seen it work on the iPhone.
This is the case I got for them (for the iPad Air) and it is perfect for them. It even comes with a stylus and a little loop to hold it. I have a different rooCase that I love on my own iPad 3. And in black it’s only 5 bucks!
Putting it in a case will also give it some protection in case of accidental drops.
I’ve found that there are mobile app versions of a lot of sites that I actually prefer over the regular web based version, like craigslist, eBay, Pinterest… and for things like checking sports scores, they don’t have to open Safari, click the search bar, type in what they want, pick a link and then click a link…all they have to do is open the NFL app and it’s a ton easier to find the information they want.
We even set up a bookmark icon on their homepage for their bank. She can do everything that she did on her laptop, and so much more.
Email is a breeze, and a little number appears on the app icon when there is new mail to read. They don’t have to worry about breaking the internet or their computer by pressing the wrong thing. If they get lost in an app, all they have to do is hit the home button and they are back to familiar territory. The only place I told them not to go is Settings, and that only because it will be hard for me to figure out what they changed to get it back. 
My experience has been that older people don’t seem to care much about resolution. I’ve noticed a lot more older people who don’t see the difference between HD and SD, for example. And even if their vision is still good enough to tell, they often don’t seem to care.