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Cell Phones for Low Vision and Elderly Parent

I am looking for a cell phone for my elderly mother. She is almost blind.  This is how I collected this info.

My impression is that a simple phone with easily recognized buttons is better then complex with bell and whistles, which she won't want to use.

Simplicity is the key in this situation.  Older people are scared of technology. Most of people in their 70's and 80th are.

You cal also subscribe to a voice command function?
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[Sep 18, 2011] Samsung Haven SCH-U320 (Verizon Wireless) Review & Rating ...

Useful charging cradle. Solid call quality. One-touch emergency call buttons.

  • Cons

    No Bluetooth or camera. Middling battery life. Zero media features.

  • Bottom Line

    The Samsung Haven takes "voice-only cell phone" to an extreme, but it's a nicely targeted device for older Americans who don't have the best eyesight.

    • Google Answers- Cell Phones for the Eldery

    Subject: Re: Cell Phones for the Eldery
    From: canadianhelper-ga on 18 Dec 2005 22:45 PST 
    Hello...

    T

    Subject: Re: Cell Phones for the Eldery
    From: helpful2005-ga on 19 Dec 2005 16:25 PST    		 
    Thanks for the suggestion of the voice command features.  

I haven't used the voice command features that the carriers have
recently released.  However, I get frustrated with even the best voice
recognition systems and I suspect that my grandmother may have a
harder time interacting with one of them then with a phone with a
simple, familiar dial pad or speed-dial buttons.  Can you suggest one
in particular?

The voice recognition features of my Samsung handset are pretty good
so I suspect other mfrs offer similar features.  However, I still
haven't found a phone that lets me press ONE BUTTON and then say the
name of the person I'm calling.  Anything more than that is too
complex.

    Accessible Cell Phones for the Blind, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Elderly and Cognitively Disabled

    Sprint offers blind, visually impaired and physically disabled customers up to ten (10) Sprint PCS directory Assistance calls with Call Completion per month. In addition, Sprint will automatically provide free Voice Command service to certified customers. Sprint PCS Voice Command is a voice activated dialing platform that can greatly benefit blind, visually impaired and physically disabled customers by reducing handset key punching and reliance on handset display information otherwise required to make calls. In short, Sprint PCS Voice Command lets your voice do the dialing. For example, "Call Bob Smith" or "Call 555-1818." You may also say "Call the Web" for access to News, Weather, Sports and other information that is all spoken to you. You can even listen to email and compose a message -- all by voice. For more details about this offer, please refer to Sprint's FAQ or to obtain an application for this program contact Customer Solutions at (888) 211-4727.

    Verizon 411 Connect

    Verizon stopped its voice dialing service due to the fact the service was not generating enough revenue. It might offer free 411 Connect for consumers with disabilities, but check with Verizon directly on this. 411 Connect provided by Verizon is directory assistance with automatic call completion. An operator will assist you when you request numbers, addresses and information for anything from restaurants and movies to the nearest florist. Simply press 4-1-1 and SEND from your handset. $1.25 per call plus airtime±.

    Amazon.com Customer Reviews Snapfon ezTWO Senior Cell Phone, SIMPLE and Easy to Use, SOS Button, Hearing Aid Compatible, UNLO

    H simple phone for simple people, November 7, 2011

    By

    A. S. Lynch "Mechanical Engineer" (Pasadena, CA) - See all my reviews
    (REAL NAME)

    Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

    This review is from: Snapfon ezTWO Senior Cell Phone, SIMPLE and Easy to Use, SOS Button, Hearing Aid Compatible, UNLOCKED GSM (Unlocked Phone)

    Despite this phone's marketing to our beloved and often forgotten senior citizens, as a twenty-something I was interested in buying this phone for it's advertised simple functionality (it's not a camera, an iPod, or a Gameboy; it's a phone). Most of the phones sold with pay-as-you-go plans are often the trashiest models with poor craftsmanship and half-working so-called "features", making it hard to find a good simple phone that just makes calls, sends and receives texts, has a recent call list and address book. The Snapfon is that hard-to-find gem of simplicity. Although it's not perfect, it's been my favorite of all the "non-smart" phones I've owned (which have included several Nokia and Motorola models, and even the Razr).

    Here are my favorite aspects:
    +Unlocked phone worked instantly with my T-mobile pay-as-you-go chip. No stupid unlock codes.
    +Battery life is long.
    +Screen lights up even in locked mode to illuminate the time.
    +LED flashlight works well.
    +Big buttons are nice to use.
    +Much lighter than your average brick phone.

    Here's what was keeping it from being a 5-star review:
    -Menu flow is too linear, making some actions seemingly dead ends. Cancel and delete both share the PWR/NO button, making some parts of the navigation dead-ends.
    -There's no way to do actions like browsing through the menus or turning on the phone silently while still having it in vibrate mode for calls or texts. Switching the phone to "silent mode" turns off all types of alerts and noises, including vibrate.
    -There's no free preview of text messages. Most other phones I've used let you preview the text message from the inbox which made it possible to read short messages without actually opening them. For using Google Voice text messaging, knowing who sent a text message is only possible by opening the message to see the header, which is a drag.
    -I can't figure out how to delete an unread text message. The option to delete only seems to be accessible after opening a text message, but which fortunately allows you to clear the entire inbox while deleting the one being read. Feature needs tweaking.
    -It's nice that the buttons are nice and big, but they seem to get pressed easily in the pocket. Hopefully the SOS button won't accidentally get pressed.
    -You have to directly enter a contact in the address book rather than typing in a number on the front screen and saving it, adding a name later.
    -While less features isn't necessarily bad, it's a little too expensive for how little it does.
    -FM radio really necessary? Whatever.

    Features wished for:
    :? An alarm feature.
    :? USB connection to transfer contacts from computer address book (and maybe custom ring tones, but low priority).
    :? Bluetooth hands-free set compatibility.

    Bottom line: Pretty satisfied so far, despite phone's short-comings. More how simple phones should be.

    edit: Apparently my point about the chirps and noises while in vibrate mode or silent mode wasn't very clear, because got a personal call from ezONE telling me how to set the phone to vibrate. To be clear, the phone has a vibrate mode, but the buttons still chirp when you press them.

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    AccessWorld AFB puts out a monthly magazine that provides evaluations of technology including cell phones for the blind and visually impaired

    Newsline For The Blind © - A Program of National Federation of the Blind (NFB)

    Newsline® is a service provided by the National Federation of the Blind for those who cannot read conventional print newspapers. Users across the country access the daily newspapers by dialing a toll-free telephone number and listen as a synthesized voice reads the newspaper of their choice.

    The Newsline® service now handles thousands of phone calls each day.

    The service is used not only by people who are blind, but also by many senior citizens who are unable to read a newspaper as a result of a stroke or other disabling condition, and by children in schools.

    To receive an application form, call the local chapter of NFB or call your state's Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.