Big Button Phone For Elderly Parent

nicenswift

Hi,

Looking for some advice on a phone I can get for my elderly parent.

He currently has a Nokia 235 but he is finding it difficult to type SMS messages due to small keys.

The only thing he needs it to do is make calls and send/rcv SMS. Thats it nothing else, not even a camera.

We have tried him with smart phones but he just cannot seem to work them properly and constantly touches the screen which leads to him getting in a mess with it.

Ideally the bigger the screen the better as he also has not very good eye sight.

It needs to be simple to operate and charge also.

Any advice would be wonderful..

Thank you for your time.

oldernonethewiser

Have you had a look at what DORO provide?

https://www.doro.com/en-gb/products/mobile-phones/

mazjohn108

Have you looked at Doro phones?

MyRealNameToo

Something like https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0H82RLMG2

Also look at Doro brand who do a range of accessible phones

flaneurs_lobster

There's a slew of similar products on Amazon like this one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/artfone-C1-4G-Unlocked-Charging-Black-4G-3G-2G/dp/B0CL9JL8NS/ref%3Dsr_1_6

Couple of points, make sure it's 4G for best possible call quality and a charging cradle would be easier than a fiddly cable.

Re SMS, your parent must be happy with the 12-key keyboard of a feature phone for composing messages, a skill I've utterly lost.

gm0

We have been using a Doro. Flip type older model.

Familiarity is key. So the absence of software updates and stupid changes to UI is helpful. As is sticking with a model family or the same model if it breaks/is lost.

There are other explicit "big" button models but have not used.

Vitor

You can get replacement launchers for Android phones which simplify the screen with large icons for just selected apps

john1

VOCA V340 4G Flip Phone: Amazon £38 or Bergstrom on Debenhams at £30 are a couple off internet search not used personally Quite of my friends seem to use Dora successfully

Catonthemoon

I regularly see an advert in some papers for a Samsung phone exactly for this purpose. Large buttons for people whose vision may not be great…basic, but looks impressive.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82128286#Comment_82128286

it will depend on if the issue is sight, dexterity or both… you get some aimed at the partially sighted that have the normal small/close together buttons but have markers on the buttons so they can be understood by touch rather than sight. If your dexterity has gone thats not going to help much and bigger more spaced out buttons can be more beneficial

gonboating

cant help with phone but i am a huge fan of alexa show for elder care and bemused it doesn't get more publicity. Worse than OP my in laws pretty much lost the ability to use keys of any sort - age blindness dementia you name it and the phone was literally their lifeline as they lived in depths of the country side. Even speed dial was troublesome. Alexa Show at both ends and the difference and stress reduction is immense. All voice no fingers: you load relevant numbers in and they connect(telephone) by voice command. Plus you can drop in to their front room and see they are fit and well - my wide does this from 250 miles away when she cant get there for nurse or carer attendance and every day she can SEE they are fine. Plus they can ask it to play the radio play music give them the weather literally a life changer. Maybe do it and a phone - my in laws are ancient (98 + 102 since you ask) and after initial suspicion they love it.