Elderly Phone Guide - Smartphones and House Phones for the Elderly

Introduction

Phones for elderly are specially designed phones for older people with hearing and vision impairment, limited mobility, and sometimes memory loss.

Here you can find information about types of phones for seniors and our recommendations.

Most of us use phones, without giving much thought about usability and design of those phones. Especially for newer generations, who grew up with many electronics, modern smartphones are much more than voice communication devices – they are a way of life. Smartphones are used for browsing the internet, playing games, reading email, chatting, taking pictures (often selfies) listening to music, watching videos, and many other things.

However, sometimes phones just need to be phones and nothing more.

For most elderly people, it is much more important to find as simple as a possible phone, then the latest gadget that does a lot, but often at the price of simplicity.

Phones are important for elderly because it gives them the ability to remain independent and to feel safe in the case of emergency.

Keeping in touch with family, friends and medical professionals is much easier with the use of phones for elderly, which have built-in features to help seniors with compromised vision, hearing, memory or mobility

Types of Phones for Elderly – Finding the Right Phone

Many types of phones can help elderly. These are just a few broad categories. Keep in mind that it is possible to find a phone that belongs to more than one category – for example, phones that are made for people with limited mobility and hearing loss as well.

Hearing Loss – Phones for people with hearing loss. Usually, have easily accessible volume controls and visual call indicators (flashing lights).
Vision Loss – Phones for elderly with poor vision have contrasting colors, large buttons, and big screens.
Limited Mobility – Phones for elderly with limited mobility are usually cordless or have long cables. Sometimes these phones are rugged too.
Memory Loss – Phones for elderly with memory loss have large photo buttons.

Phones Specialized for Hearing Loss

Hearing loss, especially with people who had good hearing, but lost it at the late age, can be very frustrating. It is just not hard to not be able to understand clearly others, but sometimes it is even harder to accommodate for not hearing even yourself talking and not knowing if others had heard you and understand you.

Phones can be a special problem because it is easy for people to forget that they cannot use them as they used to.

Here are the most important characteristics of phones designed to help people with hearing loss:

Volume Control – enables users to adjust volumes for their needs. Particularly useful if telephone use individuals with and without hearing impairment. If easily changing volume controls is important to you, before buying be sure to check how accessible is this feature. Some of the phones have this feature at the back of the phone, and it is not easy and practical to reach.
Ringer Volume – Most modern phones have ringer volume that can be adjusted, however only some have loud enough ringer for severe hearing impairment.
Visual Call and Message Indicator – Visual Call (and sometimes message indicator) – usually flashing lights, can help people to “see” the phone ringing. Many phones have external lighting units that can be mounted in more visible places.
Headphone compatible – Some phones have headphone jacks that can be used with regular headphones and microphones. Be sure to check compatibility with your headphones; many phones use smaller 2.5mm jack instead of regular 3.5mm found on most audio devices.
Hearing aid compatible – Many advanced modern phones can connect to compatible hearing aids and use them as external speakers. This sounds like a most elegant approach, but there can be many connection issues between hearing aid and phones. If you decide to use the hearing aid compatible phone, it is always recommended to have some backup communication available.

We have selected few phones that can help seniors with hearing problems:

Clarity XLC3.4+ Amplified Cordless Phone (59234)

Clarity XLC3.4+ is cordless phone specialized for amplification of incoming calls. There are four tone settings for incoming calls amplification, with a maximum of 50+db. The maximum volume of the ringer is 95dB. The phone also amplifies out going speech for up to 15db. XLC3.4+ is hearing aid compatible & TIA-1083 compliant.

Captioned Phones

Captioned phones are especially suitable for elderly with hearing loss. This type of phone displays every word the caller says on screen. Keep in mind that technology is not perfect, mistakes with translation from voice to text are possible. Many languages are supported, not just English, but the quality of translations varies. Before buying this type of phone, check the requirements! Many captioned phones require a high-speed internet connection, and some of the phones require additional subscriptions.

Hamilton CapTel 840i Real-Time Closed Captioned Telephone

Hamilton CapTel 840i is real time closed captioned telephone. When using captioned service, this phone requires a high-speed internet connection (WiFi or Ethernet). For captioning CapTel, 840i supports English and Spanish languages. Caption service is free in the USA and is regulated and funded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Keep in mind that captioned service works best for generic terms, but often struggles with local names and similar uncommon terms. There is also some delay between speaking and displaying text on the screen. This is not a problem when speaking with someone who knows about captioned telephone and hearing problems but can be awkward with people who do not know.

Phones Specialized for Vision Loss

Problems with vision are probably one of the most common problems for elderly when using modern gadgets. Most phones are just not designed to be used without perfect vision. Small screens, even smaller fonts (print) makes it incredibly frustrating to use for someone without perfect vision.

However many phones are specially designed to remedy these problems. When choosing a phone, it is important to take these things/characteristics into consideration:

Contrasting Colors - often forgotten aspect, is one of the most important things for people with poor vision. There are two approaches for this - Buttons and phone are the same color, but fonts are big, and another one button and phone are different color and font is the same color as a phone. Both approaches work, but for colored buttons, it is easier to recognize a phone from a distance.
Large Buttons - with the clear simple large font.
Large screen - that is an easy read. However, also it is important to consider how much information is on screen. Some of the phones have additional options like time, date and temperature that could be confusing and necessary for some people.
Speed Dial Buttons – enables users to dial most important numbers with just pressing a button. Many phones with speed dial buttons have pictures of people instead of names.
Braille on Buttons - Some phones have a Braille to help identify buttons. However, most (even regular!) phones have raised dot on number 5 button. If you can find number 5, it easy to deduce where other number buttons are. Braille on buttons, however, is much more important for additional features, like redial and speed dial buttons. These buttons are not as standardized as a numeric pad, and it is easy to forget where each button’s location is.
Voice Confirmation – is popular feature that repeats the dialed number before actually dialing it.
Auditory Message Indicator – Most answering machines have visual cue when there are unheard messages. However, there are phones that have auditory signals for auditory messages, like beeping sound every ten minutes.

Clarity Amplified Photo Phone (P300)

Clarity Amplified Photo Phone - P300 is a phone with loud speaker (up 18 decibels) and easily adjustable volume controls, as well as flashing ring indicator. It has separate high contrasted large numerical buttons. There are nine programmable separable photo buttons.

Emerson EM300WH Big Button Phone for Elderly Seniors, Corded Phone with Speakerphone, Landline Phone

Emerson EM300WH is a simple, inexpensive phone with large button and speaker. It has 10 speed dial buttons, accessed via numerical pads (speed dial buttons are shared with dial buttons).

Voice Phone Dialers

Another option is to skip manual dialing all together and to use voice phone dialers. Some of the more advanced phones have voice phone dialers implemented in the phone. However, you can use cheaper alternative - external voice phone dialer and classic phone too. Keep in mind that there are pitfalls with this technology similar to problems with captioned phones – voice phone dialers sometimes just don’t understand voice commands good enough.

AblePhone AP5000 Voice Activated Telephone Dialer

AblePhone AP5000 is simple voice activated telephone dialer. It is possible to record phone numbers and dial just by saying the name. It requires a separate power supply but does not need an internet connection.

Phones Specialized for Limited Mobility

Cordless phones are great solutions for elderly, especially those with limited mobility. There is no need for rushing to the ringing phone, the phone can always be near.

However, before choosing a cordless phone, take into consideration that there are many possible pitfalls with these types of phones. It is easy to lose the phone, not to remember where have you put it, they have to be recharged regularly and often are much easier to break than regular phones.

If you choose a cordless phone for elderly, we recommend to always have a standard wired phone as a backup!

Clarity - XLC2+ (Clarity Dect 6 Amplified Cordless Big Button Speakerphone with Talking Caller Id Clarity-xlc2)

Clarity XLC2+ is simply to use a cordless phone with up to 50db audio amplification.

There are many additional features that older people would find useful like:

Amplification of outgoing speech (up to 15db).
Hands-free conversations
Talking Called ID announces who calls
Illuminated dial pad, with relatively large high contrast buttons.
Extra loud ringer with flashing lights
Compatible with hearing aids and TIA-1083 standard and wired headsets (2.5mm and 3.5mm)
Battery backup – it is possible to make calls even when power is out

Phones Specialized for Memory Loss

The modern accessibility options for elderly with memory loss have become more and more advanced with every passing year, which includes giving them more choices for managing communication with their loved ones and healthcare personnel.

Since they are intended to be used by persons who can often struggle to maintain their concentration, or ability to call correct numbers at normal times of the day, many models of phones that were built for elderly contain built-in restrictions that loved ones or home care personnel can activate, such as ability to call only certain phone numbers, auto-dial options, and more.

Phones that are intended to be used by elderly who suffer memory loss can be:

Picture Memory Phones - Phones that feature a large display that shows images of people that can be called or who are currently calling you. This visual approach enables many elderly with memory loss to easily identify the caller or to pick whom they want to call. The pictures can be showcased not only on the main display of the phone but also on the large physical buttons on the base station of the phone. The majority of these phones come in the regular corded form factor, and can also showcase visual representations of reminders for appointments, medication taking times and more.

Dial-less phones - If the memory loss has progressed enough, loved ones and healthcare personnel may elect to simplify phone interactions by offering elderly access to a dial-less phone that can only receive calls. Dial-less phones may reduce anxiety levels in elderly who struggle with managing regular (or even picture memory phones), remove the possibility of elderly calling out during inappropriate hours, or even calling unknown or random numbers.

Picture Care Phone with 40dB

Picture Care Phone is simple photo phone with ten programmable speed dial memories. There are just two ringer volume options (high 40 dB and low), but there is a flashing LED ringing indicator. It has separate 911 emergency button.

VTECH SN6307 CareLine Photo Speed Dial Accessory Handset for SN6127, SN6187 and SN6197, Silver

VTECH SN6307 with Photo Speed Dial Accessory is a simple cordless phone with four photo speed dial buttons. It has a visual ringing indicator that flashes (at the top of the phone) and can announce Caller Id.

Although straightforward and elegant, keep in mind that is the phone is just an accessory! You need an SN61x7 series phone to operate.

Cell Phones for Elderly – Cellular for Elderly

Modern cell phones are almost never designed for the elderly. Even with large screens of modern phones, most fonts are too small to be used without glasses for someone without perfect vision.

Touchscreen approach is perfect for multipurpose tools with many possibilities, but all the options are often confusing for someone who just wants to have an easy way to dial several people.

Nevertheless, there are many mobile phones that are designed especially for the elderly with a focus on simplicity, and on actually using phone primary for calling.

Jitterbug Flip Easy-to-Use Cell Phone for Seniors - Red by GreatCall

Jitterbug Flip is simple, easy to use a cell phone for seniors. It has large buttons and displays optimized for poor vision. Keep in mind that this phone only works on GreatCall Network in the USA! You cannot use this phone with any other network! Plans for GreatCall plans start from 14.99$

Snapfon ezTWO Senior Unlocked GSM Cell Phone, SOS Button, Hearing Aid Compatible

Snapon ezTWO is the specialized mobile phone for seniors. It is easy to use, rugged, compatible with many hearing aids, has large buttons, and large SOS button at the back of the phone. This phone works with ATT, T-Mobile (and other compatible networks), but does not work with Verizon or Sprint. It is also possible to use this phone outside of USA on most carriers. For additional options, like calling and sending SMS to multiple users when SOS is activated, it is possible to use SnapMobile service, as well sosPlus service for (without these plans, SOS calls only the first emergency number).

Alcatel 382G "The Big Easy" Prepaid Phone With Double Minutes (Tracfone)

Alcatel 382G is easy to use the phone with loud speakerphone, easy to read display and big buttons. This version comes with prepaid Tracfone SIM with double minutes (just use regular Tracfone time cards, and you will get double).

Elderly Medical Alerts

Today medical alerts devices are much more than simple hand bell and whistles. Modern senior medical alerts are equipped with location tracking and buttons for SOS signals. Some are even more sophisticated, have additional features like heart rate monitoring or fall detection systems. Many specialized call centers offer additional services for in-home and mobile users.

For dedicated medical alert system check out our in-depth review of senior medical alerts.

Also, we have selected for you several phones that have some type medical alerts. Please keep in mind that these are phones, not specialized medical alert devices.

VTech SN6167 CareLine Accessory Portable Safety Pendant, White

VTech SN6167 is lightweight portable and compact safety pendant. It has two one-button emergency calls, it can be programmed to call 911 or any other number like family or friend. There are no monthly fees, there are no specialized services it just uses the regular land line.

This is a just accessory! You will need SN1197, SN6127, SN6187, SN6196, SN6917 series phone to connect to the pendant.