Mobile Phone for the elderly

[Lid]

A technophobic, elderly relative of mine is in hospital. Due to the condition of some of the patients, the pay phone is disabled, so I bought her a mobile. I first checked the internet, but could not find an elder friendly mobile. Some people have suggested that the Nokia 1100 series are the simplest to use, so I bought one of these.

 

However she is finding this very difficult to use, so before I design and patent something myself, please would someone tell me what is the best and simplest mobile phone for the elderly.

Edited January 26, 2008 by Lid

[greg long]

A BELL...............

I don't think there are any. Look for one that is quite large, it will have larger buttons and bigger numbers. The eyes, nor the co-ordination wont be too good.

[kleinboet]

Lid, in which way is she having a problem?

I have just bought Brenda (who is blind and has a problem with feeling due to M.S.) a Nokia 6300 phone. The sales assistant was wonderful. This phone can be voice actuated. She can have all her contacts put on the sim-card and all she has to do is say "phone joe bloggs" - the phone will repeat and the phone the number!

If she receives a call, she can press ANY button to connect!

If you need anymore info, speak to the salespeople on the shop, who will activate these items for you.

 

They are not cheap mind! This one cost £79.99 + £10.00 top-up!

Edited January 26, 2008 by kleinboet

[Lid]

Thanks I have a older Nokia 6320 that is voice activated in a similar way you describe, but I felt this would be too awkward for her. Maybe the new 6300 is easier to use than mine. Do you have to first push a button to activate voice recognition?

 

My relative has problems with answering calls and making calls. She simply cannot remember what you have to do and she can't use even the easiest menu functions, like the contacts list . Her phone does have an anykey answer mode, but I disabled this because I thought it easier. Being a phone with no cover over the keys, I also wanted to put auto keyguard on, but I had to deactivate this feature too, as she could not work out how to unlock the phone.

 

I'll have a read-up of the 6300.

Edited January 26, 2008 by Lid

[jeepster]

No disrespect to your relative, but if they have trouble remembering how to unlock a phone (two button presses) and can't use a contacts list, maybe you're wasting your time, and a mobile isn't for them?

 

The Nokia range tend to have the most intuitive, logical interface and the 1100 and similar models are the simplest, so I'm not sure there's a simpler option

[yorkio]

Have a look at the Matobmobile range - they're about as simple as it comes. Not particularly cheap though...

[Lid]

No disrespect to your relative, but if they have trouble remembering how to unlock a phone (two button presses) and can't use a contacts list, maybe you're wasting your time, and a mobile isn't for them?

 

The Nokia range tend to have the most intuitive, logical interface and the 1100 and similar models are the simplest, so I'm not sure there's a simpler option

 

Jeepster, you may be right, but we are bathed in technology and have no problems with it. My father is fully compus mentis and he has the same problems with using his Nokia. They just do not find any of it intuitive.

 

I reckon I could come up with a much better interface for the elderly, but it looks as if Matomobile may well have already done it! I was sure that someone must have, but I could not seem to find them, so thanks yorkio.

Edited January 26, 2008 by Lid

[yorkio]

I reckon I could come up with a much better interface for the elderly, but it looks as if Matomobile may well have already done it! I was sure that someone must have, but I could not seem to find them, so thanks yorkio.

 

They do actually look as if they've put some thought into the design - it's just a shame you have to pay such a premium for it. And kind of surprising that someone like Nokia hasn't seen a gap in the market for a product like this too.

 

Still, no matter what the handset might be, I just wish someone would invent something that would remind my mum to turn her bloody mobile on from time to time!

[Newt]

I just wish someone would invent something that would remind my mum to turn her bloody mobile on from time to time!

 

She may have the same attitude as I do. Mine is on when I need to make a call and on whenever I am expecting a call I want to take. Otherwise, it stays off but handy.

 

I really have no desire to be that easily reachable whenever some random person decides to place a call that is almost always more important to them than to me.

 

The 'always connected' thing may suit some folks but it does not suit me. I have never answered a phone when I was eating and drove my kids crazy (this was in the days before answering machines or phones you could silence) by not letting them do so either.

 

By the same token, I enjoy forums and email since I can pay attention to them when it suits me. I despise and will not use IM.

[Wordbender]

I really have no desire to be that easily reachable whenever some random person decides to place a call that is almost always more important to them than to me.

 

 

Translation: 'I am becoming a grumpy old git.'

 

A Mrs. Newt writes: 'Becoming'? Listen Buddy, you don't know the half of it! Why that ol' geezer...(3,000 word post snipped for mercy reasons).