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I use iPads at worked which are locked within a specific app. It's incredibly reliable and virtually never falters. These also get data through wifi and are never turned off.
On IoS within Settings>Accessibility>Guided Access you can lock the device to an app and control what all the buttons and controls do. We lock the device so even if the home button is pressed (or any combination), it won't work and all gestures to leave the app are disabled .
Edit: Just to confirm, this is for students with severe learning needs.
Muppetteer
moorhen
If it's per-house and you need to install internet and wifi that cost will wipe out the funds before you get to the device, and incur a monthly fee higher than a mobile phone bill.
A tablet is nice as it's large, works for video really well, is more human sized, the fonts can be adjusted up without cramming the screen, etc.
iPad beats Android because they're effortless to use, not complicated, you'd avoid all of that "where's the icon gone?" support issues because they've dragged it off the home page, and so forth. You'd just dump most of the icons that they'll never need in a folder, and tell them to press the remaining big green WhatsApp button and nothing more.
I'd go for cheapest cellular iPad available, with SIM cards from 3. If it's a one-off do PAYG and give the login / payment details to the families of the older people to top-up. The only issue here is that it pushed the price of the iPad up, but at least it will effortlessly work.