So much will depend on the wifi setup. Does she get a strong signal in her room? Is the router capable of handling streaming video efficiently? 

If the WiFi requires authentication via a web page, it's more tricky to set up. You might get it working fine, but if there's any glitch and it requires re-authentication you'll have to go back and assist her. As long is that's acceptable (not too far away) then it should be fine. I use my Stick all the time at hotels when I travel, and it always works fine on the hotel WiFi once I finally get it set up correctly. For some reason I have a rough time getting it set up using an iPad as the connection device, but using my laptop it always works the first time. 

Lemme ask you this, have you considered buying her a small Roku TV for the place?  This way, upon turning it on, it automatically goes to the Roku home screen, and the remote is the simple streamline Roku remote, with just Play FWD, RWD, & the up down arrows work as channel up/channel down.

Typically, what throws off elderly users are messing with complicated TV remote controls, especially fiddling the INPUT button to switch from antennae or cable, to the DVD or Roku/HDMI etc.(I worked at a cable company customer service & often times "My cables out!!" calls was a matter of explaining this to people, to toggle thru the INPUT options) This avoids that complication, and the Antennae option is a built in Roku channel/app, similar to Netflix or Pandora. (Set her up with a Pandora account & add Sinatra, Beatles, Dolly Parton etc whatever she's into). IMHO it would be a simpler experience for her, just turn on & chose.


And, for what it's worth, I run a channel she might be interested in, called Old School Social Studies Films. It's a collection of archive & public domain films from the 1920s & 30s, mostly B&W, and typically short films from 10-20 minutes, the kinda government & education shorts that used to be made. She might get a kick out of it, plus, it's free!

I bought a Streaming Stick for my own mother.  Big waste of money.  She had absolutely no interest in it.  All she wanted was 24/7 Over-The-Air Trash TV of junk content local channels.  While my own mother lives in her own home, I would be very cautious of putting anything of value in her room if she was living in a nursing home.  Perhaps the Roku device itself is inexpensive and easily replaceable if stolen.  Which would probably happen with all those sticky fingered klepto-morons running around places like nursing homes.  Your downloaded personal information contained in that device is not and very priceless.  It never seems to surprise me how people don't get that very major distinction.  

Iona, what personal information is "stored" on a Roku? You mean, access to Netflix, and Hulu? Oh no! There's nothing stored on a Roku other than access to other stuff and your email address.

jeffrok wrote:

Iona, what personal information is "stored" on a Roku? You mean, access to Netflix, and Hulu? Oh no! There's nothing stored on a Roku other than access to other stuff and your email address.

jeffrok,  I know you have at least one credit card to your name.  How do I know this?  You are online (broadband internet access-you're reading this aren't you?) and you have a Roku account (or else you would not be interested in joining these forums).  Even if you deleted the credit card information after signing up for your account,  initially you (and everyone else) needed the number.  And most other people use their credit cards to buy things online at other sites.   This is the way  things are done financially in the 21st century.

Look more closely and you will see what is contained in the credit card that is the financial key for most everything.  Whether you surrender, with your knowledge or not, your credit card (or similar) number, typing those same numbers into the Payment box or page, you are giving full knowledge and even access to the receiving end with the following far beyond a simple financial transaction:

• Identification and Contact Info. 
  
• Social Security Number
  
• Proof of Age. 
  
• Income or Salary Totals. 
  
• Employer Contact Information. 
  
• Healthy FICO Credit Score.

So what you say?  Well that's plenty to be concerned about   This involves a great deal of lopsided trust-on your side, not theirs'.  Because with just the information gathered above or the personal information gleamed using the above, some party would really could gather even more information on you that you would not want someone else to have.  And wreck more havoc on your personal and financial life than you could imagine.  

I learn this the hard way.  Plus after many years of either working with my background checked and rechecked by my past employer-the state or US government or members of my family going through the same for employment and/or security clearance issuance reasons.  Even the private sector has gotten in on the act and check up on it's people.  Or better yet Data Mine to death anyone that contacts their corporation and/or uses their products.  That's the way of this world and there's probably no real end to it.

So most live in their turtle shells and don't think of such things.  Some people do think and set up some simple, but effective, limits to this by using a reloadable card for all online transactions.   No moola, no stickyfingers I say.  Plus simply give out as little information about myself as I can get away with. The rest of my product usage is paid for by using "free" content offers-paid for by my "eyeballs"-with the addition of non crucial email addresses or a Google Voice number.  Or avoid using 3rd party services as well.  Works every time.  People were taught to be "nice" or "good" toward others.  That is fine with friends and family.  Not handing out so freely personal information on the World Wide Web.  Or in easy public access nursing homes filled with underpaid staff.

That is what is stored within your's-and others'-innocent looking streaming devices.  The Key To Your Very Own Life!

Your credit card information is not stored on your Roku: your credit card information is stored in the cloud, linked to your Roku account, but not on the device itself. By stealing your Roku, someone could not steal your credit card info.

Think about it. Have you ever entered your credit card info onto your Roku, using your Roku remote or your remote Roku app? No. If someone steals your Roku, the worst they can do is get the information that they can read in the settings screen.

jeffrok wrote:

Your credit card information is not stored on your Roku:  your credit card information is stored in the cloud, linked to your Roku account, but not on the device itself. By stealing your Roku, someone could not steal your credit card info.

Think about it. Have you ever entered your credit card info onto your Roku, using your Roku remote or your remote Roku app? No. If someone steals your Roku, the worst they can do is get the information that they can read in the settings screen.

The little devices have very limited storage-yes I'm aware of that part.  It does not matter to me at least the location where vital information happens to be stored.  Simply if It's that sensitive information is stored in the first place somewhere access-able.  Wherever it  actually is on the actual device (not in this case) or online, and most important of all, if someone could get a hold of it.  Right this minute, I am on my Roku Ultra looking at this: (Settings>Payment Method).  1 option (Update Payment Method) and the last 4 digits of my credit card is displayed on my screen.  Too easy access to sensitive information to change or even tempted to tamper with anyone who has my Ultra in their possession.  
And going further (System>About) and my email and my device's name is shown.  Select another option on the menu: (System>About>Roku Account)  and everything about my device is shown from it's unique serial number to my own IP and MAC addresses.   Again a bit more information than I care to be displayed so easily.  

I know, I know.  Most people might be comfortable about this.  It's a personal choice/non issue-or should be-if it be wasn't so available so readily with a couple of button pushing.  I prefer to limit access just to my Roku account on my Chromebook which I am happen to be using right now.  Most people are comfortable with everything pretty much out in the open.  I rather limit even such abbreviated information to my formal Roku account.  Not displayed on the device.  No choice in the matter.  I don't care for that at all.  The Chromecast one major strength over Roku is the lack of needing to use any credit card directly on the device and don't readily display any addresses or other information-even shortened-on it.

If someone steals your Roku, they are NOT stealing your credit card. For the second time. The thieves may have access to the last four digits of it in a settings screen, but that's it. No billing info gets stored in the Roku. Prove me wrong and I'll admit I'm wrong, but other than stealing a movie or two (to your account, to boot), there's nothing else they can do with that info.

I think you're being paranoid.