These days, it’s unusual to find anyone who doesn’t own a cell phone. Whether you prefer a smartphone to stay in touch with the people you love and enjoy a variety of additional entertainment options or simply want a cell phone that allows you to call and text without additional features, owning the cell phone that’s best for you and your lifestyle keeps you connected. Here we share our 6 top choices for the best phone for seniors to help you choose your perfect fit.
What to Look for In a Phone
While the phones we share with you range from a standard flip phone to a smartphone with dozens of features, most seniors want a few key components in a cell phone. First, a display option with larger text can make it easier to view information on the screen. A wide volume range allows you to adjust your phone’s settings to the level that’s right for you, whether you have excellent hearing or need to use hearing aids or another supportive technology when you make calls.
Another feature we looked for is excellent battery life to make sure that when you charge your cell phone, its battery can last all day. This gives you peace of mind as you run errands, visit family or friends, or take vacations. Finally, some cell phones offer a built-in option specifically with seniors in mind, like an emergency call button to use in the event of a fall or medical emergency. For many seniors and their families, this feature provides an added sense of independence and security in knowing that help is just one press of a button away.
What’s the Best Phone for Seniors? Our Top 6
The Classic Flip Phone
For some, the best phone for seniors takes the form of the original cell phone, with a few key upgrades to reflect our modern times. Our two options for this category offer a user-friendly, no-hassle format with senior-friendly features.
1. Jitterbug Flip
This tried-and-true favorite offers large, back-lit buttons, an as-needed wifi connection, an optional emergency button, and an affordable price. Seniors and their families can add the emergency call service for a separate monthly fee. This service locates the phone with GPS technology and sends help to seniors who may be experiencing an emergency or who feel unsafe. This feature, combined with excellent battery life and good volume control, makes the Jitterbug Flip the best phone for seniors who want a simple, trustworthy cell phone for everyday use.
2. LG Exalt
For seniors who are hard of hearing, this flip phone offers exceptional sound quality and volume control. It also includes a range of helpful features, including a good-quality camera for taking pictures and videos of treasured memories, large buttons for easy dialing, and a web browser for accessing the internet.
While it doesn’t boast nearly as many applications as a smartphone, it does include a calculator, timer, and alarm, as well as a text-to-voice option for those who may have trouble reading from a screen. All in all, this flip phone offers seniors useful tools and features to make using their cell phone easy.
The Best of Both Worlds
Nowadays, it’s fashionable to have a cell phone that can keep you in touch with the latest technological trends. However, it can be overwhelming to navigate a cell phone outfitted with every bell and whistle. That’s why two of our top picks for the best phone for seniors integrate the simplicity of a flip phone and the additional features of a smartphone for those who want to keep up with their grandkids on Facebook without the frustration of a modern smartphone’s complexity.
3. Jitterbug Smart2
Like its flip phone counterpart, the Jitterbug Smart2 is designed with seniors in mind. However, this model takes the best parts of a modern smartphone and combines them with a user-friendly display and senior-friendly options like larger fonts, fewer unnecessary apps, and even an optional plan for a dial-in operator who can help you navigate your phone.
Its battery life also beats most smartphone competitors, and while its maximum volume level may not be ideal for seniors who are hearing-impaired, it offers a range of options for those who want a simple touch-screen cell phone.
4. Motorola Moto G7 Power
While not specifically designed for seniors, this cell phone offers several noteworthy, senior-friendly options. Its price point is much lower than a regular smartphone, which means that it lacks some of the features we take for granted. However, this simplifies its design and makes it simpler for seniors to use and personalize.
Its battery life is excellent even with regular use, and it has good display options to change the brightness and text size for each user’s needs. While its camera may not be as good as a more expensive smartphone, its design and affordability make it a great option for most seniors.
The Modern Smartphone
While cell phones specifically designed with seniors in mind offer many helpful features, it’s important not to underestimate the modern smartphone. While these devices are more expensive and more complex, they have built-in settings that can make them both convenient and enjoyable for seniors to use.
5. Apple iPhone 11
With each of its new phones, Apple proves that its technology can be used by a range of ages. Larger text settings, read-aloud features, a bright and vibrant display, and a reliable lifespan are some of this phone’s advantages. In addition, it’s easy to connect to family members using the same brand of cell phones. If picture and video quality are important, the iPhone offers a near-unrivaled camera. In addition, there’s plenty of storage space for various applications, pictures, and videos, and endless options for entertainment and connection through texting, calling, and social media.
6. Samsung Galaxy Note 9
This smartphone option offers helpful features for seniors, including a bright display, extensive storage for media and applications, and settings options for text size. In addition, it has an excellent battery life, which is often difficult to find in a smartphone. Many seniors also appreciate the stylus which accompanies the phone.
This allows users to write notes and use this thin, pencil-like tool to navigate texting, applications, and other phone functions, which can make everyday phone use easier. While it’s more expensive than a simpler model, its additional perks make it a great option for seniors.
Make the Right Choice for Your Needs
For seniors looking for a perfect cell phone, the choices can seem overwhelming. We’ve narrowed it down to our picks for the best phone for seniors, giving you a smaller range of excellent options. If you want a simple tool for keeping in touch with the people you love, a flip phone is a cost-effective, user-friendly choice. A smartphone made with seniors in mind offers the best of both worlds, and even the latest smartphones have dozens of senior-friendly features while also offering the best camera quality, storage space, and displays.
At the end of the day, the best cell phone for you is the phone that fits into your life and helps you connect with others, whether that’s through phone calls from flip phones or Snapchat messages with grandchildren. As always, we welcome your questions and invite you to follow Senior Health & Lifestyle News for more senior health news.
