Most families go through the same cycle. A parent gets a tablet for the holidays. Everyone is excited. Six months later, the tablet is sitting on the kitchen counter, untouched — too confusing, too full of notifications, too easy to accidentally delete an app or get tricked by a scam email.

We went looking for a better solution. What we found were purpose-built senior tablets that cost $70 a month and lock you into a subscription forever, or overly complex apps that still required the same tablet your parent couldn't use in the first place. There was nothing in between.

So we built it.

"A placemat is something that's always there, on the table, easy to reach — and it shows you exactly what's relevant right now."

What is PlaceMatHQ?

PlaceMatHQ replaces the confusing tablet home screen with a single, calm daily screen — a placemat. It shows everything your parent needs: today's weather, their family photos, upcoming events, messages from the people they love, and a button to call home. Nothing else. No app grid. No notifications from strangers. No chance of accidentally opening settings or deleting something.

The family sets everything up from a web portal and can update it remotely — adding photos, calendar events, medication reminders, or a new family contact — without ever needing to touch the tablet. The parent just picks it up and it's ready.

Family photos

A rotating gallery of photos the family uploads. Always personal, always familiar.

Calendar & reminders

Appointments, medication times, and special dates — large, clear, and always visible.

One-tap calling

Video and voice calls with a single tap. Family members are right there on the screen by name.

Family messages

Simple messages from family appear on the placemat — no inbox to navigate, no app to open.

Radio stations

Curated streaming radio stations — classical, jazz, oldies — one tap to play.

SpamShield

Every link is checked before it opens. Scam sites are blocked, and risky ones show a warning first.

Meet Mat

Every placemat includes Mat — a warm, patient AI companion who lives right on the screen. Mat isn't a generic chatbot. Mat knows your parent's name, their family members, their calendar, and their preferences. Mat greets them in the morning, mentions what's coming up today, and is always there to chat when family isn't around.

M

Always there, always patient

Your parent can talk to Mat by tapping or speaking. Mat can answer questions, recommend a radio station, share a memory, remind them of a medication, help them write a message to a family member, or simply keep them company on a quiet afternoon. Mat never gets tired, never seems rushed, and always has time.

Mat also keeps the family in the loop. When your parent mentions something worrying, Mat can nudge the family. When they haven't been on the placemat all day, the family is quietly notified. It's a level of gentle awareness that wasn't possible before AI — and it means less anxiety for everyone.

Make Mat yours. If Mat doesn't suit you, change its name, gender and voice, so it feels right for your family.

The family portal

PlaceMatHQ is designed for the whole family, not just the person holding the tablet. Each family member gets their own account and can see the placemat, send messages, add photos and reminders, and get a gentle notification if something seems off.

Managing multiple placemats — two parents, or a parent and a grandparent — is built in. You set up each one separately, customize it for the person, and manage them all from the same account.

The result: your parent feels closer to the family. The family worries less. And the tablet that was gathering dust is now something your parent reaches for every morning.

Getting started

PlaceMatHQ works on any iPad (iOS 15+) or most Android tablets. There's no special hardware to buy. You create an account, customize your parent's placemat from your phone or computer, and either install the app or open it in a browser on their tablet. Most families have a parent up and running in under 10 minutes.

There's a free plan to get started. A subscription unlocks Mat AI, additional family members, and the full feature set — and it costs less in a month than a single GrandPad subscription fee.

Give your parent a great day, every day.

Try PlaceMatHQ free →
Free to start · No special hardware needed · Set up in under 10 minutes

Questions we get asked

PlaceMatHQ is a calm daily home screen for older parents, installed on any iPad or Android tablet. It replaces the confusing app grid with one simple screen showing family photos, weather, messages, and one-tap video calls — all managed by the family remotely.
PlaceMatHQ is free to start. You can create a placemat, add family members, and use core features at no cost. A subscription unlocks Mat AI, additional family members, SpamShield, and all advanced features.
PlaceMatHQ works on any iPad running iOS 15 or later, and most Android tablets. No special hardware is needed — it works on a tablet you already own. A dedicated iPad or tablet left on a stand makes for the best experience.
Mat is PlaceMatHQ's built-in AI companion. Your parent can talk to Mat by tapping or speaking — Mat can answer questions, share a memory, recommend a radio station, or simply keep them company. Mat knows your parent's name, their family, and their schedule, and greets them each morning with something personal and relevant.