Mobile phone for elderly grandmother.

Forums › New Zealand Mobile and Wireless › Mobile phone for elderly grandmother.

tims

118 posts

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#273145 7-Aug-2020 09:59

My grandmother wants to ditch her expensive landline and get a mobile instead but I can't find anything suitable that has the following features here in NZ.

*Must have a cradle to charge the phone - her eyesight isn't the best and will find it difficult to plug in a charger (and will probably forget to charge it). Due to this a larger than average screen/push buttons would be also good.

*Must have a loud ring as her hearing is poor.

*Probably not possible but at the moment she has an extension phone in her bedroom. Is it possible to get a second mobile with the same number ie same sim card?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

wellygary

8253 posts

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#2536111 7-Aug-2020 10:03

I bought my mum an Alcatel 30.26 flip from VF, it came with a charging cradle, its ring is pretty loud and the buttons are pretty big

https://www.warehousestationery.co.nz/product/W2656804.html

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Stu

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#2536113 7-Aug-2020 10:10

Bought the same Alcatel 30.26 for my mum from 2Degrees.

2 phones, one number? Yeah, nah.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

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Kookoo

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#2536119 7-Aug-2020 10:15

I don't know if Doro is still available in New Zealand, but I got the Doro 6520 for my dad a few years ago and he absolutely loves it.

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frankv

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#2536173 7-Aug-2020 11:16

If your grandmother keeps the cradle in her bedroom, she can have the phone in there as well, so no need for a second number. It does require a bit of a change in habit though, to take the phone with her when she leaves the bedroom. Maybe if she has a belt clip or something like that it will make it easier for her to keep with her all the time and know where it is. Or get a second charging cradle?

MikeB4

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#2536214 7-Aug-2020 12:29

I am disabled I also worked/work supporting disabled folk now voluntary and my advice is to take her into the store and request the staff take the phones off the security cable so she has full tactile experience. Let here try all the features. I would suggest the following...

1. A smart phone where the screen font can be enlarged.

2. A phone that shows clearly that it is ringing.

3. A phone that has a very clear hands free speaker and micro phone.

4. Has wireless charging and use chargers that sit flat as they are easy to place the phone. Get extra chargers and locate them in the bedroom and other high use rooms.

Don't be shy at getting a smart phone as these have a lot more accessibility features and she may surprise you on how quickly she picks it up. Don't decide for her let her choose the phone she is comfortable with.

Jaxson

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#2536248 7-Aug-2020 13:13

Just a side point, but if the user has any sort of tremor then touch screens are very difficult to use.

Physical buttons separate the actual button finding aspect from the button pushing. Like a keyboard you can find the key and be feeling it/lined up before you press it, but on a touch screen they are one in the same.

Touchscreens have actions for long press and press and drag/swipe etc that mean a shaky hand will really struggle with that type of interface.

MikeB4

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#2536252 7-Aug-2020 13:23

I have a right hand Essential Tremor, it is not always present and can vary in intensity. When the tremor is present I find it easy to place the phone on a flat surface. knee, chair arm, table and use it in that manner which is easier on a slab phone as opposed to a wobbly feature phone. I also find it easier when the tremor is present to target an icon as opposed to what is available on a feature phone.Some phones also have accessibility settings to mitigate unintentional long pressing or swiping. Virtual assistants can be used to dial numbers and send messages something I find very useful.

One thing I did overlook is does your Grand Mother have a health alarm system that is linked to the land line if so you will need to investigate alternatives for that.

1eStar

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#2536262 7-Aug-2020 14:08

Something like this could connect in to your home wiring?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32816667781.html

Edit: it doesn't state which frequencies that unit supports, and you'd need to match it to whatever frequencies your carrier uses

jonathan18

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#2536349 7-Aug-2020 17:52

In regards to a second phone, one option is to buy one of the cordless phones that allows mobiles to connect to it via Bluetooth. We have a Panasonic three phone set, which allows two mobiles to connect automatically - can send and receive calls on these handsets using the mobile’s service. While we still have a landline so use them for both mobile and landline calls, they work fine if solely connected to a mobile.

As for which mobile type for older users, it really does depend on so many factors. Button-only phones can be confusing for some, as buttons typically will be multifunction, and ‘reading’ their secondary purpose on the screen, say.

If going down the touchscreen route I suggest she tries before she buys... There are also some decent launchers out there that can really simplify the user experience. For some the lack of physical buttons can be the death of their usage - as an example, my mother has simply lost the ability to answer a call on a touchscreen phone.

I write this with significant experience of trialing multiple phone types with both my elderly parents!

tims

118 posts

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#2536445 7-Aug-2020 21:00

Thanks for all your replies; that's helped a lot.

Cheers

tims

118 posts

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#2536448 7-Aug-2020 21:10

jonathan18:
In regards to a second phone, one option is to buy one of the cordless phones that allows mobiles to connect to it via Bluetooth. We have a Panasonic three phone set, which allows two mobiles to connect automatically - can send and receive calls on these handsets using the mobile’s service. While we still have a landline so use them for both mobile and landline calls, they work fine if solely connected to a mobile.

As for which mobile type for older users, it really does depend on so many factors. Button-only phones can be confusing for some, as buttons typically will be multifunction, and ‘reading’ their secondary purpose on the screen, say.

If going down the touchscreen route I suggest she tries before she buys... There are also some decent launchers out there that can really simplify the user experience. For some the lack of physical buttons can be the death of their usage - as an example, my mother has simply lost the ability to answer a call on a touchscreen phone.

I write this with significant experience of trialing multiple phone types with both my elderly parents!

Hi Jonathan

The cordless Panasonic could be what I'm after - do you know the model number?

Thanks

andrewNZ

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#2536493 7-Aug-2020 23:30

Uniden do a cordless with Bluetooth too. Never used it though.

allstarnz

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#2536518 8-Aug-2020 05:17

if she has internet at home, maybe a VOIP phone would be better? Maybe she'd feel more comfortable with that?

MikeB4

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#2536528 8-Aug-2020 08:11

allstarnz:

if she has internet at home, maybe a VOIP phone would be better? Maybe she'd feel more comfortable with that?

For safety I would not recommend VOID or cordless phones with powered base stations. These require power and during a power outage the elderly or disabled is left unable to contact anyone.