Alzheimer's disease and a photographer.

[rickdeebee]

Hey everyone, I just signed up here hoping to get advice from knowledgeable folks for my father.
My father is 85 and is suffering with mild Alzheimer's disease. A hobbyist photographer since his thirties, he had a very good eye and has taken some amazing shots over the years. Now with his memory and vision getting worse he is having a hard time operating the SLRs he had been used to. I thought maybe he could manage a Canon powershot sx530. we got that yesterday and he is not managing well with it. So my question is, what is the absolute easiest camera to operate , with the simplest controls and buttons, etc.?
Thanks in advance, photography is something that still brings him joy.

 

[limr]

Hey everyone, I just signed up here hoping to get advice from knowledgeable folks for my father.
My father is 85 and is suffering with mild Alzheimer's disease. A hobbyist photographer since his thirties, he had a very good eye and has taken some amazing shots over the years. Now with his memory and vision getting worse he is having a hard time operating the SLRs he had been used to. I thought maybe he could manage a Canon powershot sx530. we got that yesterday and he is not managing well with it. So my question is, what is the absolute easiest camera to operate , with the simplest controls and buttons, etc.?
Thanks in advance, photography is something that still brings him joy.

I'm sorry. My father had Alzheimer's, too. It's...rough.

As for the simplest? I'd say go for a Fujifilm Instax. Auto zone focus, simple lighten/darken aperture control, and done. Plus, he'll have physical prints that might give him something tangible to see and hold and keep. At his age, he's probably more familiar and comfortable with prints, and that will be helpful for his mental state.

Just a thought.

If you want to stick to digital, then I'm not really sure. I still shoot film. I know the menu-driven nature of most digital cameras these days, even point and shoots, was very frustrating for me and difficult to adjust to when I did finally get a digital camera to add to my film gear. I'm not sure how to get away from the menus without just using a smartphone (which are in many ways, just as good or even better than most point and shoots nowadays.)

 

[waday]

Similar to @limr , my grandfather had Alzheimer's. He went from bad to very bad fast. I wish the best for him and your family. It can be a very difficult time.

That said, I agree with Leonore. Try the instant.