When the TV Remote Becomes Too Complicated: Making TV Easier for Someone With Dementia
Disclosure: I am a JubileeTV Professional Partner and may receive compensation if you purchase through my referral link or promotional code. I originally researched JubileeTV for my own mom before becoming a partner, but we did not have the opportunity to use the system. All opinions are my own.
Why JubileeTV for older adults caught my attention as both an occupational therapist and dementia caregiver.
As both an occupational therapist and a daughter who helped care for my mom throughout her six-year journey with Lewy body dementia, I learned how quickly everyday technology can become overwhelming.
The television was a perfect example.
My mom had used a television and iPhone for years, but as her Lewy body dementia progressed, even familiar technology became difficult.
We simplified her iPhone and tried to make the buttons easier, but eventually even that became challenging. The TV remote caused similar frustration. She would accidentally change channels, switch inputs, or end up somewhere she didn’t recognize and could not figure out how to get back.
For many of us, accidentally pressing the wrong button is a minor annoyance.
For someone living with dementia or other cognitive changes, it can mean losing access to something familiar that provides entertainment, routine, comfort and connection.
That’s what originally led me to research JubileeTV for my own mom.
We were seriously considering it, but unfortunately, she passed away before we had the opportunity to use it.
Since then, I have had the chance to learn much more about JubileeTV, and I continue to think about how helpful some of its features could have been for our family.
What Is JubileeTV?
JubileeTV takes something many older adults already know — their television — and turns it into another way for families to help, connect and communicate from a distance.
A family member can use a phone, tablet or computer to assist with their loved one’s television.
Depending on the feature being used, a caregiver may be able to:
- See what’s currently showing on the television.
- Turn the TV on or off.
- Adjust the volume.
- Change channels or inputs.
- Start a favorite show.
- Help navigate streaming services.
- Start a video call.
For me, this is one of the most compelling parts of the system.
Imagine getting that familiar phone call:
“My TV isn’t working.”
Instead of spending 20 minutes asking:
“What do you see on the screen?”
“What button did you press?”
“Do you see Input? HDMI? Home?”
—you may be able to see what they are seeing and help fix the problem from your phone.
For families caring from a distance, that could eliminate a lot of frustration for both the older adult and the caregiver.
Simpler for Them, Smarter Support for the Caregiver
One thing I particularly like about the concept is that the television remains at the center of the experience.
The older adult is not necessarily being asked to master another completely unfamiliar piece of technology.
From an occupational therapy perspective, we often look for ways to adapt someone’s environment or simplify a task rather than adding unnecessary steps.
When memory, attention, problem-solving or sequencing become difficult, something that once felt simple can suddenly require too many steps.
Sometimes maintaining independence is not about teaching someone to try harder.
Sometimes it is about removing unnecessary steps.
Staying Connected on a Screen They Can Actually See
JubileeTV can also turn the television into a large-screen video calling system.
Think about all the steps involved in a typical smartphone video call:
Find the phone. Unlock it. Find the app. Locate the person. Answer the call.
Those steps can become significant barriers for someone experiencing cognitive changes.
With JubileeTV, family can connect through the television instead.
Features include video calling, auto-answer capability, live closed captions and the ability to have multiple family members participate in a call.
I immediately think back to my mom.
Toward the later stages of her dementia, her iPhone — despite our efforts to simplify it — became increasingly difficult for her to use independently.
Having family appear on the large television screen she was already accustomed to watching might have removed one more technological barrier between her and the people she loved.
Checking In Without Always Interrupting
JubileeTV also offers Friendly Drop-Ins, a one-way video feature that allows authorized family members to see and hear what is happening in the room without requiring their loved one to answer a call.
For a family caring from a distance, I can understand why that could be appealing.
But this is also an area where I think families should consider the individual.
Privacy, dignity and the older adult’s preferences matter.
This type of technology is not a replacement for human interaction, hands-on caregiving, medical care, direct supervision or an emergency response system.
Reminders Where They’re More Likely to Be Seen
Another feature that stands out to me as an occupational therapist is the ability to place reminders directly on the television.
Families can schedule reminders for medications, appointments, daily routines and other important activities.
The system can even turn on the television and play a chime to help draw attention to the reminder. Families can also send messages, photos and videos to the TV.
This is an example of using an environmental cue.
Instead of expecting someone experiencing memory changes to remember something independently, we are placing information within their normal routine.
If someone already spends part of the day watching television, that is a familiar place to put information rather than asking them to remember to check another device.
Stories and Moments: Preserving Connection, Too
Two newer JubileeTV features especially caught my attention.
Stories allow families to create recording sessions centered around meaningful memories. Families can display old photographs, ask questions and record their loved one’s stories.
Moments allows families to save clips during video calls and preserve special interactions.
As someone who has lost my own mom, this part hits differently.
We often don’t realize which ordinary conversations will someday become extraordinary memories.
Why Pay for an Ongoing JubileeTV Membership?
I think this is an important question.
JubileeTV isn’t simply a simplified television remote.
If all someone needs is a larger or easier remote, there are much less expensive solutions.
The value of JubileeTV comes from the ongoing service and features behind the hardware, including remote TV assistance, family app access, video calling, reminders, check-ins, messages and ongoing technical support.
So instead of asking:
“Is a monthly membership worth paying for just a remote?”
I’d ask:
“How many ongoing problems could these features solve for our family?”
If you are regularly driving to a parent’s home because their television is not working…
If you are repeatedly trying to explain which remote button to press…
If your parent can no longer reliably navigate a video calling app…
If siblings live in different cities and want another way to stay connected…
If reminders are becoming increasingly important…
Then the value calculation becomes very different.
You are not simply paying for television access.
You are considering a family connection and TV-assistance system built around something your loved one already knows — their television.
What Does Your Loved One Need?
The setup is designed around equipment many households already have.
Your loved one generally needs a television, standard internet/Wi-Fi and a cable box, satellite receiver or compatible streaming device.
The supporting family member needs a smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer.
I would always check compatibility before purchasing, particularly if your loved one lives in assisted living or uses an older television or cable system.
Who Might Consider JubileeTV for Older Adults?
From my occupational therapy and caregiving perspective, I would consider exploring JubileeTV for an older adult who:
- Frequently becomes confused by the television remote.
- Accidentally changes inputs or settings and can’t restore them.
- Has difficulty using a smartphone or tablet independently.
- Lives alone or at a distance from family.
- Benefits from visual reminders and predictable routines.
- Enjoys television as part of their normal day.
- Has family members who frequently provide technical support.
- Has difficulty answering traditional video calls.
- Could benefit from additional ways for family members to check in.
- Wants to maintain as much independence as possible with appropriate family support.
Who Might Not Need It?
Not every older adult needs this level of support.
Someone who independently uses their television, smartphone, video calls, streaming services and reminders may not receive enough additional benefit to justify an ongoing expense.
Likewise, JubileeTV should not be viewed as a substitute for caregiving assistance when someone requires direct supervision, medical care or hands-on help.
Technology is most useful when it supports independence and human connection rather than replacing them.
Independence Doesn’t Have to Mean Doing Everything Alone
This is ultimately what interests me most about JubileeTV.
Throughout my career as an occupational therapist — and throughout my own experience as a caregiver — I have seen families struggle with the idea of independence.
We sometimes define independence as:
“They can do everything themselves.”
But that’s not always realistic, especially when someone is aging or living with dementia.
A better question may be:
How can we change the environment, simplify the task or provide just enough support so this person can continue participating in the things that matter to them?
If Mom can still enjoy her favorite television program because her daughter can remotely put it on…
If Dad can see his grandchildren on the large TV screen without navigating a smartphone…
If a reminder appears somewhere a person is already looking…
If a caregiver can solve a TV problem from 500 miles away instead of leaving an older adult frustrated…
Those are meaningful forms of support.
Why I Wish We’d Found JubileeTV Earlier
I wish we had discovered JubileeTV earlier in my mom’s dementia journey.
I cannot tell you exactly how she would have responded to it because we never had the opportunity to use it with her.
I want to be very clear about that.
But I can tell you that the problems JubileeTV is designed to address were problems our family experienced firsthand.
I remember the phone becoming harder.
I remember the remote becoming harder.
I remember technology that had once been completely familiar suddenly becoming confusing.
And I remember constantly looking for ways to simplify my mom’s environment while helping her maintain as much independence and normalcy as possible.
That’s why JubileeTV caught my attention before I ever became professionally connected with the company.
For me, the most interesting part is not adding more technology to an older adult’s life.
It is the possibility of using something already familiar — their television — to make technology less complicated.
And for some families, that may mean an easier way to help with TV problems, stay connected, share meaningful moments and provide support from a distance.
Could JubileeTV Help Your Family?
If helping a parent with their television, staying connected from a distance or simplifying everyday technology has become a challenge, you can learn more about JubileeTV and decide whether it might be a good fit for your family.
Use promotional code: SUNNYBYKIMBERLY
As a JubileeTV Professional Partner, I may receive compensation if you purchase through my referral link or promotional code, at no additional cost to you.
Pricing, features, promotions, compatibility requirements and membership terms can change. Please review JubileeTV’s current information before purchasing.
About the Author
Kimberly Orlando, MOT, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist with nearly 25 years of experience including working with older adults and individuals living with dementia, as well as a former family caregiver to her mother, who lived with Lewy body dementia for six years. She is the founder of Sunny by Kimberly, where she combines her professional experience and personal caregiving perspective to create practical resources that help caregivers support safety, independence, meaningful activity, and connection.
This article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical or occupational therapy advice.
