I'd recommend starting with Linux Mint. Both my parents and my wife use it with minimal issues, but they dont really use any software and just do everything in the browser.

The switch to Linux is more than just changing operating systems. You will need to be prepared to leave much of the software you're accustomed to behind (I.e. office or Photoshop ), so learning how to use/configure/install/compile new software will usually be a requirement.

That being said, I switched about 6 years ago and is one of the best decisions I ever made. I ditched all proprietary software and now use only Free Software. There's a learning curve involved, but its worth it in the long run.