Phone for Elderly Parents

[Gudasau]

The Z Play deal is good....if you keep that phone active on that line for 24 months. If not, the phone is not free.

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Thanks. I just called and spoke with Verizon. I'm not sure what direction would be most economical. Perhaps add them to my plan. Free is only for new accounts Advice is much welcomed & appreciated.

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[pc747]

Believe it or not, Window's phones are actually great phones for the elderly, especially if they are large screen phones. The tile and blocks are simplistic while still allowing them to be in the smartphone era. Got one for my grandmother and I remember struggling to teach her android and iOS but Windows just made it simple. Plus you can save favorite contacts as home screen pictures so that they can click the tile of the picture (person) they would like to contact.

 

[Gudasau]

Believe it or not, Window's phones are actually great phones for the elderly, especially if they are large screen phones. The tile and blocks are simplistic while still allowing them to be in the smartphone era. Got one for my grandmother and I remember struggling to teach her android and iOS but Windows just made it simple. Plus you can save favorite contacts as home screen pictures so that they can click the tile of the picture (person) they would like to contact.

That sounds like something I should look into, thank you! Simple is good for them! Simple is good for me to teach them -- even better

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Believe it or not, Window's phones are actually great phones for the elderly, especially if they are large screen phones. The tile and blocks are simplistic while still allowing them to be in the smartphone era. Got one for my grandmother and I remember struggling to teach her android and iOS but Windows just made it simple. Plus you can save favorite contacts as home screen pictures so that they can click the tile of the picture (person) they would like to contact.

That's a good point. Simple for sure & the live tiles make for large touch areas. Think of the start screen on Windows 8 as the main interface. Many didn't like it on PC, but it makes perfect sense on a phone.

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[pc747]

Even better is you can find them for a great deal on amazon and avoid signing a deal. And many actually look and works great. They still have access to YT, FB, Netflix, etc, but most importantly have access to use the phone which is the most important.

So you can send them vids, pics, yt links and they can still feel like they are in the loop while not having to worry about the OS getting in the way. The only drawback is the app store (or lack thereof) but you can still get the basics (ie flashlight app, netflix, twitter, angry birds, etc).

Windows 10 phones are quietly becoming the flip phone of our generation as we are seeing more and more who want a reliable and simplistic phone gravitate to them. Because no matter who the manufacturer one can simply pick it up and go without having to go to a class.

 

[Gudasau]

So, forgive me, are there multiple manufacturers, or is there only one manufacturer for Verizon? I'm really liking the idea of a Windows phone -- especially for my dad. He's very savvy with Windows, so it shouldn't be too foreign to him. My mom, on the other hand... Well, there could be the entertainment factor while helping her along LOL

 

[pc747]

Everything Windows Phone For AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, & Verizon: Phones, Accessories & More - Microsoft Store

Verizon Phones Powered By Windows 8 - Microsoft Store

 

[pc747]

Unfortunately there are not many for verizon.

 

[Gudasau]

So, it looks like I can order one from Amazon for a fraction of that price. Granted, it has less storage space, but they don't need much, I would think...
Seriously thinking this may be the way to go. The investment would be minimal and it would be fairly simple for them to navigate. Does Cortana talk like Google Voice? My mom was blown away when I asked my phone who the founder of a restaurant was and it announced the answer immediately.

 

[pc747]

So, it looks like I can order one from Amazon for a fraction of that price. Granted, it has less storage space, but they don't need much, I would think...
Seriously thinking this may be the way to go. The investment would be minimal and it would be fairly simple for them to navigate. Does Cortana talk like Google Voice? My mom was blown away when I asked my phone who the founder of a restaurant was and it announced the answer immediately.

Eh, it's pretty close, it was nice to play with but even something like Siri or OK Google get in the way from time to time just make sure to set it up so it is not activated unintentionally.

I do recommend having it shipped to you. I ended up grabbing one with external memory and adding a sd card, also by having it shipped to me I was able to use it to make sure there were no issues as well as input the contacts and get the home screen set up with the contacts.

I learned a lesson awhile ago by sending the item to my grandmother and trying to help her set it up over the phone. It was a headache because she had no basis to understand what I was saying about home buttons, settings, etc. Then when I saw the device I realized that it was different from the pictures I saw on google/YT as the phone was updated, which explained why my grandmother did not have a clue what I was talking about. So it was a good learning experience.

Once I got everything set up (contacts, a few games, etc) it just made things easier for my grandmother and myself as I knew where to tell her to go as I already took the time to navigate through the device prior and I was talking to her via firsthand knowledge vs going off pictures.

Hope that helps.


Also the other benefit of it shipping to you first is you get to update and check for bugs and issues. I have bought devices that looked great on Amazon but once I opened it it was either so buggy or too small for me to even use. I experienced that with a Blu phone and man if I got frustrated imagine what someone who wasn't tech savvy would feel. That gift would have gone from blessing to curse.

 

[Gudasau]

Eh, it's pretty close, it was nice to play with but even something like Siri or OK Google get in the way from time to time just make sure to set it up so it is not activated unintentionally.

I do recommend having it shipped to you. I ended up grabbing one with external memory and adding a sd card, also by having it shipped to me I was able to use it to make sure there were no issues as well as input the contacts and get the home screen set up with the contacts.

I learned a lesson awhile ago by sending the item to my grandmother and trying to help her set it up over the phone. It was a headache because she had no basis to understand what I was saying about home buttons, settings, etc. Then when I saw the device I realized that it was different from the pictures I saw on google/YT as the phone was updated, which explained why my grandmother did not have a clue what I was talking about. So it was a good learning experience.

Once I got everything set up (contacts, a few games, etc) it just made things easier for my grandmother and myself as I knew where to tell her to go as I already took the time to navigate through the device prior and I was talking to her via firsthand knowledge vs going off pictures.

Hope that helps.


Also the other benefit of it shipping to you first is you get to update and check for bugs and issues. I have bought devices that looked great on Amazon but once I opened it it was either so buggy or too small for me to even use. I experienced that with a Blu phone and man if I got frustrated imagine what someone who wasn't tech savvy would feel. That gift would have gone from blessing to curse.

Thank you so much for all this advice! That makes perfect sense!
The more I think about it, the more I think I need to nudge them into Moto. That's what we all have & it'll be easy to help them over the phone when they are flustered over something. We live in the same small town, so that'll Be helpful as well.
He's been in a rehab facility after a fall on Thanksgiving, but he's being released on Sunday. I'm thinking we may go shopping next week
Thanks again for all your help. Y'all have been so helpful, as always!

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[Gudasau]

When I was on the phone with Verizon, they said the free Moto Z Play was for new contracts only & didn't apply to with my parent's nor my account. If I go online & add one to my cart, it's free. I'm assuming I'll need to do this online & not at a Verizon store if I want to save money
~ Thinking my mom would love the JBL speaker & I've got money on my dad wanting the camera mod.


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[Barkleyfan]

Yeah I'm not sure on other manufacturers, but Samsung has basic mode that is beginner-friendly. It's available on the high end and mid-range models at least.

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[Gudasau]

Couldn't I just set any phone up with only the bare necessities at first & make it fairly simple? I'm thinking phone & contact apps on the home screen with a gallery app & maybe something else. They wouldn't know to dig into the phone unless I showed them... Baby steps. Add new info for them to learn on a weekly basis -- or at a comfortable rate for them.

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[Barkleyfan]

You certainly can. But do me a favor and go play with easy mode on a demo. It restricts settings as well, making it much harder to Jack things up.

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