We have heard a few people opining that seniors don’t really need a smartphone, but we disagree.
In fact, we think that smartphones can be essential gadgets for seniors.
The devices can keep them connected to friends and family, help them manage smart devices around the home, offer GPS maps to help them get around the world, and even monitor their health for them.
Should Seniors Stick With Very Basic Features?
While it might be tempting to buy a cheap flip phone for a senior, basic phones often lack the kind of functionality required to improve an elderly person’s quality of life.
A simple phone can help with emergency calls and texting/chatting with friends and family but there are good reasons to help the senior in your life use a better phone and once they do? Flip phones will be a thing of the past.
The Advantages Of Smartphones For Seniors
These are the reasons you should go beyond a basic phone plan as the option for your senior and they include:
Large Screens Can Be Good For Struggling Eyes
Many seniors find that they struggle with failing eyesight. This bad eyesight makes it hard to see what’s on the screen but with a smartphone, you get much greater screen real estate and can increase the font size to help the person see what’s on-screen.
You can also enable video chatting and that can be a big deal over using a standard voice and data plan on a flip-style phone. When you can see the people you love, it makes you feel even more connected to them.
It Makes Communication Easy (Talk To Text Is A Big Deal)
Not only do smartphones make for great communication devices (for obvious reasons) but the facility to use text to talk can be a lifesaver for those struggling with arthritis or eyesight issues.
A brand new smartphone will read text messages to your senior and make it much easier to understand what’s going on. They can also make basic calls, of course.
Social Networking
There are a few features that nearly every adult wants on a phone and most seniors will soon be downloading apps and installing social network access on their phones.
This helps them to share information with their friends and family and to keep up to date with their busy lives without feeling like they are intruding.
Online Lifestyle Management
Both Apple and Android devices receive severe weather alerts and can be used to do anything from accessing bank accounts to booking tickets to ordering food from the local supermarket. Online shopping can really improve someone’s life.
It’s worth noting that being able to book a ticket online for something like a movie theater visit can be a huge deal for some people – and it may enable a trip out of the home that might have been impossible if they had to go and fetch a ticket in person.
Navigation
Seniors live confidently when they can be positive that they can leave the home and get back again without bothering family members if they get a little lost.
GPS on a smartphone plan can make life easier when it comes to planning trips and getting out of the house. Older adults can go and see old friends with this new technology and be certain they can find their way.
They Can Install Smart Devices
In terms of practical apps for seniors, then smart device management such as setting a smart thermostat can be a huge convenience in their lives and help them to take full control over their lives.
It may be hard to set all the different appliances in a home when someone is dealing with mobility issues in later life and the apps accessing those devices will take a lot of stress out of that person’s life.
There Are Many Free Game Apps
Games and brain training apps can create huge levels of free entertainment.
Smartphones can run so many specialized apps for seniors to stay mentally fresh, improve their logical thinking, and have more fun than they would otherwise have.
Many of our favorite online games and these crossword puzzles for seniors can be found as free apps for your cell phone now.
The Best Cell Phone Carriers For Seniors
There is no “best cell phone carrier” for seniors or anyone else. However, many carriers such as T-mobile or AT&T offer a discount on the monthly fee or flexible plans for seniors. It’s best to shop around before you sign a long-term contract for a carrier to ensure that you get all the great features that you need for the seniors in your life.
We’ve got a list of phone carriers that offer discounts for seniors (and a load of other handy discounts) here.
Final Thoughts
There’s high demand for smartphones among seniors living on their own and with other people.
The right phone can really improve a senior’s life in retirement and they get to learn new technical skills in the process.