Phone for an 87 year old

[cirian75]

Nan turns 87 later this month, has small old tired flip samsung.

Its a bit to small now, so we tried to get her used to android with a Moto G

That was an expensive mistake.

So, back to what she had, kinda.

We need a big assed tough flip phone, the Doro seems to be the popular option.

Any other suggestions?

[boyse7en]

I got my dad an Acatel flip last year. Really basic phone, big buttons, big font on the monochrome screen.

[sicasey]

cirian75 said:

Nan turns 87 later this month, has small old tired flip samsung.

Its a bit to small now, so we tried to get her used to android with a Moto G

That was an expensive mistake.

So, back to what she had, kinda.

We need a big assed tough flip phone, the Doro seems to be the popular option.

Any other suggestions?

Shirley an old school but A1 condition Nokia of some sort from eBay would do the job nicely?

Does it have to be a flip phone?

[boyse7en]

sicasey said:

Shirley an old school but A1 condition Nokia of some sort from eBay would do the job nicely?

Does it have to be a flip phone?

Its the size of the buttons that is usually the problem. Poor eyesight and reduced fine motor control make it difficult to be accurate enough.

[RizzoTheRat]

Samsung still do a flip phone, the E1270. No idea if the operating system is anything like her old one but if it is that might be simpler than a different brand with different controls. But if you want bigger buttons that Doro looks like a good bet

[Jinx]

I got my father a Big Easy BE1 phone when his eyesight started failing. He never had any problems using it - and the buttons are nice and large.

Or try one of these

[sgrimshaw]

If a non flip is a possibility then maybe something like this:

http://www.tesco.com/direct/ttfone-mercury-2-big-b...

No need for fiddly charging cables either ....

ETA - this is not 3g so will not work on "3"

Also just seen Tesco do the flip one linked to above :

http://www.tesco.com/direct/ttfone-star-big-button...

not for use on Three either BTW

Edited by sgrimshaw on Wednesday 10th February 16:13

[oldbanger]

My 77 year old dad has a Doro and thinks it's excellent. Big buttons, and rather basic functionality.

[jkh112]

Doro. It is designed for some one of this age and both the old folk I have recommended this phone to have been delighted with it.

[James Drake]

I feel your pain - I am in a similar predicament with my 70 YO mum, who got a smartphone for Christmas. Trying to help her use it has been somewhat stressful. By which I mean that it has aged me approximately 10 years and I keep having terrifying nightmares about my mum asking me more phone related questions.

[48Valves]

My Grandma died last year aged 87. At the time she was using a Z1. She loved it because us grand-kids could whattsap her pictures of her great grand-kids.

She also had an iPad fro reading the local paper so she didn't have to have the paper copy delivered.

The grandmother in law however is a different matter. She struggles to operate the most basic of Nokia phones and goes into a full on panic attack if something unexpected happens when using it.

I've seen a few elderly people using Galaxy notes due to their size.

[cirian75]

48Valves said:

My Grandma died last year aged 87. At the time she was using a Z1. She loved it because us grand-kids could whattsap her pictures of her great grand-kids.

She also had an iPad fro reading the local paper so she didn't have to have the paper copy delivered.

The grandmother in law however is a different matter. She struggles to operate the most basic of Nokia phones and goes into a full on panic attack if something unexpected happens when using it.

I've seen a few elderly people using Galaxy notes due to their size.

My grandmother falls into the "grandmother in law" category.

Yet she has no issues using her Samsung smart TV

[ZesPak]

cirian75 said:

My grandmother falls into the "grandmother in law" category.

Yet she has no issues using her Samsung smart TV

My parents "operate" their Smart TV. Until it gets to the smart part.

OP, what are the disabilities? Sight? Hearing?
There's little in the way of smartphones, but iirc there are plenty of relatively cheap dumbphones, as mentioned Doro seems like a good candidate.
If she wants to go the "smart" route, why not start her off with a cheap tablet in combination with such a dumbphone?

As far as smartphones go, the Moto G is as simple as it gets. My mother has had her for about two years now and she can actually take pictures and send them. Grandchildren will do this to a person.

[cirian75]

sight and hearing are still good, its the arthritis in the hands that is the issue.

Her hands are basically crap, pretty much only her index fingers and thumbs work properly now.

Plus very very easy to get flustered and panic.