Cell phone for seniors
Hello community,
My mother is getting older and is having difficulties using her regular cell phone. I have search for smart cell phone but simpler, just bigger icons, less functions but it need to be capable to have what’s app. Any ideas? I saw one in Spain but did not have time to go to the store. The front face just had 4 big icons, like the symbol for phone, what’s app, photos etc. thank you!
Nov 4, 2024
Parent Replies
Try this resource: www. CaliforniaPhones.org for lots of phone types adapted for senior and disabled people. Or: 800-806-1191.
I hope you're able to find a good cell phone for your mom! Not to be Debby Downer but ... after sitting with my mom several times re-teaching her how to use her cell phone, setting it up so she only had to touch one icon on the desktop to make a call, having her practice calling me while I was sitting next to her... After all that, she still wasn't picking up when I called, and she was having her neighbors call me repeatedly to say her phone was broken. I finally came to the realization the cell phone just wasn't going to work for her anymore. There were multiple problems: she couldn't remember which button to press to answer a call, her hands weren't steady enough to use a touch screen, the font was too small, she kept putting it on mute accidentally, or turning off the ringer by mistake. The biggest problem was she thought it would be charging overnight, but she hadn't pushed the plug in firmly enough, so the phone kept running out of juice. I finally gave up on the cell phone and got her a big button landline with pre-programmed one-touch calling -- label the buttons with names in BIG font or better yet a photo of the person, put duct tape over the mute button and disable the ringer on/off switch. There are a lot of these phones on Amazon. Then the only problem is making sure the receiver is properly cradled when she hangs up.
Good luck!
We purchased this phone. https://www.alzstore.com/RAZ-Memory-Cell-Phone-for-Seniors-All-Carriers-p/0039-v.htm
It is just for making calls and receiving them. I like that I manage all the functions through an app on my cell phone. So I enter the phone numbers and set reminders on when to charge.