Mobile phone advice

[Julia9054]

My dad has mild dementia and has recently also been diagnosed with a brain tumour. He is 85 and has never really used a mobile. He has had a few spells in hospital recently and now recognises that having his own mobile would be useful. Due to his cognition, it needs to be simple to learn how to use.
He doesn't need to use the Internet, just to make calls and to send and receive messages. He is OK using a touch screen as him and my mum have an iPad. My mum has a Samsung S21 so a Samsung would be preferable as she can help him get to grips with it.
They have tasked me with finding something suitable.
Any suggestions welcome. Cheers.

 

[stephec]

Without searching I seem to remember a name that was marketed at a similar type of audience, I think it was Doro?

 

[geocycle]

Yes Doro is the place to look. We had a very simple one for my mother when she was in the early stages of dementia. That wasn’t a touch screen or internet enabled though it was 7 years ago.

An advantage of a simple smart phone is that you can track it via Google maps. This might not be an issue for your dad but it can give some reassurance, even if it is just to find the phone.

 

[slowmotion]

Without searching I seem to remember a name that was marketed at a similar type of audience, I think it was Doro?

It certainly is Doro. I've had one for years and I love it. It's got big buttons and text. I also had to buy a smart phone to get an electronic Covid passport but I never use it.

 

[Mike_P]

Yes Doro is the place to look. We had a very simple one for my mother when she was in the early stages of dementia. That wasn’t a touch screen or internet enabled though it was 7 years ago.

An advantage of a simple smart phone is that you can track it via Google maps. This might not be an issue for your dad but it can give some reassurance, even if it is just to find the phone.

And of course ensure every phone has the mobiles number in it even their own landline phone, although that's only useful if it's switched on. My dad is constantly switching his off meaning if he forgets where he has put it... Doro's large display means app names are normally truncated; Play Store becoming Play St for example.

 

[Julia9054]

Thanks folks.
I think he'd enjoy having the camera too.

An advantage of a simple smart phone is that you can track it via Google maps. This might not be an issue for your dad but it can give some reassurance, even if it is just to find the phone.

Useful. Of the last three times he has been in hospital, twice his belongings have gone missing and last week he was brought home with some other bloke's stuff.

 

[biggs682]

My 93 yr old father has used doro's for last few years they seem very simple to use .

 

[markemark]

Have you thought about a series of smart speakers? I believe OTs can help setting them up with specific help for such situations though not 100%. Even if not they can do an awful lot through voice rather than a screen.

 

[Julia9054]

Have you thought about a series of smart speakers? I believe OTs can help setting them up with specific help for such situations though not 100%. Even if not they can do an awful lot through voice rather than a screen.

He really needs it for ringing my mum when he's in hospital.
Mum is very active and capable and able to run technology things in the home

 

[oldwheels]

I had one touch calling or some similar term set up on my wife’s phone and the relevant numbers were on the back of the phone. For instance I was just dual 1 which rang me. The phone book on the phone was too complicated for her to use easily and this system gave me some peace of mind when out of the house.
It may be possible for you to set up something similar.

 

[Fastpedaller]

I have a Doro (I'm 64) and yes, it is simple to use and has an 'emergency contact' button, and the numbers can also be enabled to vocalise as you push them. I can take photos with it, but for the life of me I can't send them to anyone! To send photos there are a number of fields which need to be entered on the phone, and although I've asked my provider (1p mobile, who I recommend highly) have given the list of 'gateway code' 'sender' etc, it doesn't correspond exactly to the fields required - I'll have to try again when I get a moment (maybe 3 hours!) My 24 yo Daughter (who is tech savvy and can almost fly local planes with her iPhone) can't sort it either, so it's not just me. Otherwise, the Doro is ok, but I wouldn't write home about it. My main reason for purchase was the fact it was a flip[ phone (so screen protected when in bike bag).
Doro was about £80. I believe there is a small smart phone called a Cubot which sounds good for about £200.

 

[geocycle]

One other consideration I’ve just remembered is battery life and charging. The Doro we got my mother lasted a long time between charges and also sat on a cradle to charge like a landline phone. This helped a lot as she would have struggled with connecting a standard smart phone charger on a regular basis.