Buying a cell phone for elderly parents is a great way to know you can reach them at any time, no matter where they are. There are many reasons for an elderly parent to have a cell phone. For me, buying a cell phone for my 80 year old father meant I could leave the house, knowing that if he had a problem or needed me for anything, he could simply call and I would head straight home if necessary.
What to Look for When Choosing a Senior Friendly Cell Phone
Deciding which cell phone to buy is very important since you want to be sure your elderly parent will be able to see the buttons clearly, be able to hear the cell phone ring, be able to hear the caller clearly and be able to understand the basic call making and call answering functions of the phone.
My dad is extremely hard of hearing, has poor eyesight, and he had never owned or operated a cell phone before in his life. I had my work cut out for me when it came to buying a phone I could be sure he would be able to use easily. Below is a list of features I knew any phone I bought for my dad was going to have to have.
- Large Button Phones – many seniors have arthritic fingers or hands, have shaky hands, and or poor eyesight. A phone with large buttons will make the cell phone easier for an elderly parent to see and use.
- Loud Ringer – since I knew my dad would likely carry his phone in his pants pocket, it was absolutely necessary that the phone I chose have a very loud ringer setting.
- Adjustable Talk Volume – there is nothing worse for a senior than to answer the phone and not be able to clearly hear the caller. I made certain the phone I chose for my dad had an adjustable volume setting that I could set at its highest level.
- 1 Button Calling – the phone I finally chose for my dad has 3 large programmable buttons located right under the screen.
While the 1 button calling was not in my original list of necessary features, once I realized how handy this would be for my dad, I was really glad his phone offered this characteristic. I made use of this senior friendly feature in the following way: I programmed my elder brother’s cell phone number under the 1st button, my cell phone number under the 2nd button, and my younger sister’s number under the 3rd button. I then explained to my dad that if he wanted to call his 1st born child, use the number 1 button, if he wanted to call me, his number 2 child, then use the 2nd button, and so on. It made it very easy for him to remember.
The phone I bought for my dad also had a nice bonus feature I wasn't expecting. On each of the three programmable buttons, I was able to attach a photo of my brother, myself and my sister. So, whichever person my dad was calling, their photo would show onscreen, and he would know by looking at the picture that he was in fact calling the person he intended to call.
Recommended Easy to Use Cell Phones for Seniors
The senior friendly cell phone I finally settled on for my dad was the Pantech C520 Breeze. It has been a great phone for my dad and it filled all my requirements for an easy to use and senior-friendly cell phone. A few other phones I considered and would recommend are listed below.
- LG UX 280 – this basic phone features big buttons and a large display.
- Samsung Jitterbug J SPH-A310 – this phone features a large, easy-to-read display, simple to use menus, bluetooth connectivity, and it includes roadside assistance.
- Doro PhoneEasy 410 – this phone has a bright display with a large fonts, a large keypad with big buttons and good call quality.
Find an Easy to Use Cell Phone for Your Elderly Parent
Finding the perfect senior friendly cell phone for your elderly parent isn’t difficult if you have a basic idea of what features you think your parent will need. Once you have decided on and purchased a cell phone for aging parents, be sure and take the needed time to teach them how to use it.
My dad was able to go from completely cell phone illiterate to a proficient cell phone user in a very short amount of time.
Kelly Dupree - My love of animals, especially cats, and my interest in science has led to a serious passion to write well researched articles.
