Best vape for an elderly user

[wilf789]

Hello everyone. A friend of mine, knowing I know a little about vapourisers having had an SSV for a few months now, asked me to ask you wise folk to recommend a vape for her Grandma. Lovingly known as 'Nana Puff', due to how much she blazes, apparently she's been asking her grandaughter to find out about them.
Now I don't know her personally, but from what I gather she has mild Parkinsons, is fairly elderly and won't be the type to get on here to ask herself!

Therefore, could anybody please recommend an above all easy-to-use, not expensive (I imagine >$250) simple but effective vape for Nana Puff? I searched to see if this had been covered but couldn't really find anything.

I wish I could provide more info but like I said its not my Gran.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated though, thanks.

 

[the ob]

I would guess one of the log type vapes would be good. they do not have a lot of mechanical issues, are easy to use, fairly priced and efficient. I would recommend the myrtlezap or the woodeez as I am not sure "nana puff" would be up for building her own and the PD's are not currently available. I love my zap and rick was easy to deal with.

 

[Beezleb]

I pretty much assist sick people and some of them are older. I would not recommend a vape like the mytrlezap, woodeez, PD style of vape due to it requiring a slightly harder draw. Generally speaking, if she is moving a lot from the palsey a wand vaporizer may be difficult for her to use, this would also be a reason to rule out the econo vapes like the PD and Mytrlezap.

Since she is already a user, believe it or not most people I help are typically prior non weed users, she will have habits and finding the vape that best meets those habits will do much to help her adjust to vapor on a regular basis. It is not uncommon for people to not totally convert at first and if that conversion slows down the vape tends to get less and less use.

Due to this I recommend a multi vaporizer that uses both wands and bags. This way she can take advantage of wand and bag use. With bags she will get an even vapor but high quality vapor. I find most older people with health issues tend to favor the bags over the traditional wand vaporizers like an DBV, SSV, Vapor Bros type of vape. With this kind of vaporizer if her palsey is ok and she wants to vaporizer via wand that option is their. Also if they need, the multivaporizers can be used in assisted air mode where you just breath in through the tube with the fan on.

I recommend in no particular order:
Extreme Q, In my opinion the current leader in whip mode among multi-vaporizers and highly prized bags. This vaporizers has more pieces than others in its categories from elbow joints to a remote.
Herbalaire, efficient in bags but not praised in whip mode.
Zephyr Ion, The vape I mainly use now. It produces high quality bags and is very easy to use and maintain. Changing bags is quick and easy but like others, could have used a good tutorial video in the beginning. The Zephyr direct draw wand is not yet available but when it is available will be free to current owners. Thus at this time this is only a bag vaporizer.

Many positive opinions are on all these vaporizers and I encourage further looking into each of those perspective forum thread to get more specific input on the perspective vaporizer. I hope that helps.

If you go in the direction of a direct draw vape I recommend the DBV, Vapor Bros, SSV but I have concern about her parkinsons and if she is shaking that is a potential issue with this kind of vaporizer.

 

[lwien]

Yeah, I would also have suggested a PD or a Zap but being that she has Parkinsons, she may have trouble getting the stem in the heat exchanger. Also, depending upon how old she is, she may also have decreased lung function so for both of those reasons, I would suggest a bag vape and at her price range, the HerbalAire may be a good choice. Another possibility would be the LaunchBox.

 

[the ob]

sorry, I totally missed the Parkinson's part of that. I agree then the log vape might not be the right choice.

 

[Raf007]

ImHo the volcano is also a solution, it seems to be easier to tigh the balloon w. this one than with the others. The easy valve system for someone who has money and don't want or can't deal with the balloon changing.

There is no glass parts that can break.

It s easy to handle, to clips and declips, which may be a pro for someone w. parkinson d. that can't therefore really handle things. I know my stepfather is sometimes unable to open a regular bottle of water for ex so handling a vape can be tricky for such users.

It is also reimbursed by some insurance companies.

Of course the big cons are the price and the non duality, only bags.

 

[mattybass]

Yeah, I would also have suggested a PD or a Zap but being that she has Parkinsons, she may have trouble getting the stem in the heat exchanger. Also, depending upon how old she is, she may also have decreased lung function so for both of those reasons, I would suggest a bag vape and at her price range, the HerbalAire may be a good choice. Another possibility would be the LaunchBox.

If she would have a difficult time plugging the stem into the PD or Zap, she would most likely have a bit of a hard time plugging the battery into the LB. There is a decent amount of resistance to it and most of my friends who have tried it do not realize they have only plugged in the battery half way until i let them know it has to go in even further. It definitely takes a firm push to get the battery in all the way so I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[momofthegoons]

I have worked with people who have disabilities and often motor function is impaired; in a different way than Parkinson's, but still motor impairment. Depending on what stage the Parkinson's is at, motor function could be quite impaired. Since around $250 is the price point, it rules out the Volcano. I'm not familiar enough with bag vapes to recommend, however IMO a bag vape would be optimal. That way, a caregiver could fill the bags, if necessary. If the impairment is not that severe yet, a vape with a whip attachment in addition to the bag might work, but if she is shaking, she will have trouble maneuvering and could burn herself. IMO a bag vape would be the best investment. That way, there is an eye to the future need.

 

[tdavie]

Another thing to take into consideration is joint mobility (in addition to shaking or tremors). Most mornings when I wake up, I would not be able to put a battery into the LB. It's not until my fingers have loosened up in a few hours that I would have enough manual dexterity for something like that. When I wake and vape (basically Saturdays only), I hit the remote on the Exrteme and use the whip with fan assist.

If the person doesn't mind using the whip and is able to use the Extreme, I think I'd go for that. But another downside to the Extreme is the size of the display; it bugs my eyes. I like the display on the Zephyr much more.

Good luck to Nana.

Tom

 

[bluntfaced]

Drop the money on the volcano, really.

If you guys are tripping about grams getting a stem into a PD how do you think she's gonna handle the tiny obnoxious controls on the extreme, or the tiny screen. Not to mention putting the bags on the glass, I can hardly do it and putting all the glass in the tubing. Far too complicated. The volcano is super simple and guaranteed to work, even gramma can understand it, one switch and one knob. I do agree fully that a bag vape is the right choice but the extreme and herbalaire are very complicated. I dunno about the zephyr ion, I've never used though.

All the other vapes I talked about here I have used extensively though and I have to say it's pretty annoying hearing people recommend vapes to old ladies that they've never actually used before.

 

[mattybass]

We probably shouldn't assume she's clueless about how to smoke pot... if she's known as "Nana Puff" she obviously has some pot exp. under her belt... I'm guessing that as long as a vape is ergonomic, she will probably be able to figure it out. In case she isn't too willing to switch to vaporizing, she shouldn't drop more than her limit of $250 i think. Maybe someone could assemble a Pandora for her??

 

[bluntfaced]

I think a purple days would be better than an extreme. I have no doubt she can smoke pot, she probly can twist a nice joint. It's the fancy electronics that would have me worried.

 

[Raf007]

but one has to think in a long term point of view, how long before the parkinsons d. get worst ?

I have never own a PD, or any log vape, in fact i only tried the vapes I own but I know a Parki guys, and I know he would not be able to use those vapes without a hassle, and don't forget the mood swing due to the disease, that could be worsen if the patient get angry at not bing able to use his vape because of shaking or lack of strengh.

I know there is a money pb, but I m sure it can be overcome , Imho it's the Volcano non digital that would fit the best (ot the Ion, but i never tried it while I own a Cano).

 

[wilf789]

Thank you so, so much, you're all fantastically helpful! I'm sure she'd appreciate the kind regards and advice very much.

Agree with the comments about the ease-of-use of the Volcano, but convincing someone who's spent pennies on weed her whole life (living in the Welsh countryside where it's extremely cheap) to spend around $500 on something she's never experienced is a big ask. I know all the arguments about how it will save your money and lungs etc. but I still doubt she'd go for it. Also as far as I know, the Parkinsons is not very advanced so far.

I'll get her Granddaughter to show her the Volcano, Herbalaire and the Zephyr Ion to see what she thinks.

Thanks again, and I'll report back when I have more info.

I hope they come up with a senior-friendly vape by the time I'm stuck in a chair. Perhaps a whip straight from a tank of vape delivered through those nasal breathing-aids? Might make our beloved oldies a little less grumpy and a little more entertaining!

 

[stinkmeaner]

It would seem that an elderly person would be drawn to the simplicity and look of a log vaporizer but some might think the small bowl and hard draw might be difficult to get accustomed to.

On the other hand a bag vape would be a good choice also because the user can just fill a bag and sit back and puff at their leisure, in this category an Herbal Aire would be an excellent choice due to the price, ease of use, efficiency, and low price; in fact if you look hard enough on Ebay, you can find a brand new Herbal Aire for $175 or less.