Published: August 21, 2024
Updated: August 21, 2024
This article reviews four popular cell phones for seniors with Dementia or Alzheimer’s. These include:
The RAZ Memory Cell Phone is the only cell phone specifically designed for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or mild cognitive impairment.
The cell phone is based on 3 design principles: (1) it is especially easy to use for the senior, (2) the phone can be managed from afar by caregivers through a feature called Remote Manage, and (3) every additional capability offered by the phone is optional. In other words, the caregiver can customize the phone to suit the needs of the senior.
RAZ Mobility is the only company and phone listed that participates in the AARP’s AgeTech Collaborative. The cell phone won the Collaborative’s 2022 Connect and Thrive pitch competition.
To make calls, the senior taps and holds the picture of the person they want to call. That’s it! There is no menu system, apps, or ability to access settings ….
RAZ Memory Cell Phone has one primary screen. The screen accommodates up to 6 contacts with an option for up to 50, with contact pictures and names underneath. The pictures help dementia patients who cannot always remember their contacts’ names or may have difficulty reading. There is also an optional button to call 911; when activated, the senior does not have to enter the digits.
The senior’s contacts can video call the senior at any time through the RAZ Care app. The senior answers video calls in the same way as voice calls, making participating in video calls especially easy.
With simplicity in mind for the dementia patient, the phone’s volume button is disabled and always set to maximum, and the screen does not lock or go to “sleep” (the display is always on).
Normally, a cell phone’s features are managed in device settings or individual applications. In the case of the RAZ Memory Cell Phone, to maximize simplicity for the dementia patient and to accommodate the fact that many caregivers do not live with their loved ones, the cell phone is managed through a feature called Remote Manage. Remote Manage allows caregivers to manage all aspects of the RAZ Memory Cell Phone from afar using a mobile application. The mobile application is called the RAZ Care app.
Remote Manage, available through the RAZ Care app, offers many capabilities and options. These include:
The RAZ Care app also includes a Dementia Care Advisor. Ask a question about dementia, and the Advisor will provide a trusted answer. For example, you can ask how you can help your senior sleep better, or reduce their level of agitation.
The Dementia Care Advisor can be a valuable resource that helps people navigate their caregiving journey. It is a unique large language model-based conversational AI tool trained on trusted sources of clinical data, resulting in reliable answers. The Dementia Care Advisor can be used within the RAZ Care app as frequently as desired at no additional cost.
The RAZ Memory Cell Phone is a smartphone with a 6.5-inch display, which provides ample space for contacts and pictures. The large display also helps people with vision loss. It has a modern “tear-drop” design with minimal bezels.
The design makes it impossible to tell that the phone is for seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Consequently, users will not feel self-conscious about having a “special” phone.
The display itself is very bright. It dims a little when not used for 2 minutes to save battery power. Even in this dimmed state, it can be seen easily by seniors. As soon as the user touches the dimmed display, it brightens.
The phone’s top edge has a headphone jack. The power button and volume rocker are on the right edge, and the SIM card slot is on the left edge.
The RAZ Memory Cell Phone costs $349.00 and works with all major wireless providers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Consumer Cellular, Mint Mobile, Affinity Cellular, and other compatible networks. The phone is unlocked, so the user can select his or her wireless provider and plan. Currently, the phone comes with a free SIM card and three (3) free months of service from Affinity Cellular, which uses the Verizon network.
The Secure Phone GPS Tracker is designed for children, rather than people with dementia. The company website describes the phone as a parent’s “All In One Security Solution”. Nevertheless, the phone is sometimes purchased for individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s because of its simplicity.
The Secure Phone GPS Tracker is the shape of a rectangle and is 4.25 inches long and 2.0 inches wide. It has a width of 0.7 inches, so it is quite thick. Nevertheless, it can fit into a pocket easily. The cell phone has a touch screen and the display is 3.5 inches. It is small, which is fine for a child, but is very challenging for a senior with low vision or even a slight hand tremor.
The left edge has three buttons, and the right has four buttons. It may be difficult for seniors with dementia to remember which button does what.
The bottom edge has a USB-C charging port; it is covered by a little piece of plastic for water resistance.
The volume keys of the Secure Phone GPS Tracker cannot be disabled. Neither can the power button.
One positive feature of the phone is that it is water-resistant and dust-resistant with a rating of IP68: it can withstand being submerged in at least 1 meter of water for 30 minutes.
Four menus appear on the bottom of the touch screen. These include “Phone”, “Messages”, “Contacts” and “Menu”. If the “Phone” menu is tapped, the senior will see up to 3 family contacts. The contacts do not have pictures. If a family contact is tapped, the call is initiated. Each of the three family contacts can also be called by pressing a corresponding button on the side of the phone. But this is useful only if the senior can remember what button to press for each contact; unlikely for someone with dementia.
To call other contacts, called “Phonebook” contacts, the senior must tap the “Contacts” menu and tap on the desired contact. Note that the font size of the listed contacts is small and may not work for seniors with vision loss or hand tremors.
The senior cannot access a dial pad to contact anyone other than a contact, and the phone cannot dial 911. The phone prevents anyone other than contacts from calling the senior, which prevents spam calls.
The phone offers GPS tracking and geo-fencing, which can help find a wandering senior with dementia. The phone also provides text messaging, and access to settings through the touchscreen menu system. These additional features add some complexity to the device and may be confusing to some individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Certainly, some people with dementia text message, but the small keyboard will make text messaging difficult for many seniors. Moreover, the keyboard is the standard Android keyboard, which has symbols and features that are too advanced for many with dementia.
The Secure Phone GPS Tracker also offers voice monitoring. To activate the feature, the caregiver sends a text message to the phone, and within less than a minute the phone will call back without activating the screen, allowing the caregiver to monitor the senior’s surroundings. This is a helpful feature if there is concern that the senior is being abused.
The price of the Secure Phone GPS Tracker on the company website is $199.00. The phone is locked. Wireless plans must be purchased through the Secure Phone website. It costs $45/month for unlimited service with T-Mobile coverage and $55/month for unlimited service with AT&T coverage.
The Jitterbug Flip2 is a simple flip phone. It is designed for seniors generally, rather than specifically for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
As the name suggests, the Jitterbug Flip2 is a flip phone. When it is shut, it measures 4.3 by 2.2 inches and is .7 inches deep. It comes in red and graphite. On the left edge of the phone, close to the top, is a standard headphone input, and below it, a USB port. On the right side, near the top, is the volume toggle. The power button is on the keypad itself. The battery is removable.
The cell phone comes with a charging dock, which is definitely a bonus for seniors.
There are four ways to place a call: First, by dialing the number with the keypad. Second, by placing calls from contacts. Third, by dialing by voice. The cell phone can be set up so that the senior can dial by voice as soon as they open the flip phone. The senior can initiate a call by speaking someone’s name if they are in the senior’s contacts or by speaking the phone number. Fourth, the cell phone also includes Amazon’s Alexa service. So, the senior could say, “Alexa, call Ben”.
None of these methods include pictures of contacts. Seniors must remember the number or name of the person they wish to call. Further, seniors can call any number without restriction, which will be problematic in the case of some users.
Unlike the RAZ Memory Cell Phone or the KidsConnect KC2, incoming calls cannot be limited to contacts. Thus, if you are concerned about the senior being taken advantage of by predatory telemarketers, the Jitterbug Flip2 is probably not a good option.
Users can dial 911 in the event of an emergency. They must type each digit individually.
The Jitterbug Flip2 is all about health services. It advertises itself as a “personal safety device.” The Basic health and safety package is priced at $24.99 per month (on top of the cost of your cell phone service) and includes a private emergency dispatch service. There is also a Premium package for $34.99. The Premium package includes access to a board-certified doctor or nurse without an appointment. These services are accessed by pressing the 5Star Button. A subscription to these health services does not prevent a senior with dementia from calling 911.
Watch a video of the Jitterbug in action.
The Jitterbug Flip2 supports other features, including text messaging, a camera, call history, a flashlight, a magnifier, a clock, a calculator, and FM Radio. It also has Amazon Alexa, which allows the senior to ask it for information, such as the weather. It does not support video calls. The availability of all of these features may introduce more complexity than a senior with dementia can handle.
Users can also make various adjustments in settings, such as colors, jingle on/off, ring tones, and Bluetooth.
The Jitterbug Flip2 is a simple basic cell phone. Nevertheless, the senior must be able to navigate the menu system in order to use it effectively. And there may still be too many features for a senior with dementia who needs the simplest of cell phones. Finally, there are no pictures to help the senior remember contacts.
The price of the Jitterbug Flip2 is $99 on its website. People who purchase the Jitterbug Flip2 must use the Lively wireless service. Lively uses Verizon’s network, so coverage is very good. The price of Unlimited talk and text is $19.99 per month.
As discussed above, the various health and safety features of the Jitterbug Flip2 cost additional; prices start at $24.99 per month.
The IRIS Easy Flip is similar in many ways to the Jitterbug Flip2. It is a fairly simple device, although it is not designed specifically for people with dementia.
The IRIS Easy Plip is a flip phone. When shut, it measures 4.34 by 2.24 inches and is .79 inches deep. This is slightly larger than the Jitterbug Flip2; the difference is not material. It comes in red and steel grey. A USB type-C charging port is on the left edge of the phone, close to the top. Just below the charging port is a button to quickly open the camera. The headphone jack is on the right side, near the top, and just below it is the volume toggle. The power button is on the keypad itself. The battery is removable.
Unlike the Jitterbug Flip2, the cell phone does not come with a charging dock.
The keypad layout is fairly typical, but not all buttons are labeled, making it more difficult for some seniors.
The cell phone has dual 2.8” internal and external screens.
There are four ways to place a call: first, by dialing the number with the keypad. Second, by placing calls from contacts. Third, by placing calls from the call log. Fourth by pressing the Favorites button.
Unlike the Jitterbug Flip2, the IRIS Easy Flip does not allow seniors to initiate calls by dialing by voice, and the phone does not include Amazon’s Alexa service. The senior cannot make calls by issuing a command, such as “Alexa, call Ben”.
The user must press the “Call” or “OK” button to answer a call. The Jitterbug Flip2 makes answering a little easier than the IRIS Easy Flip because you can simply flip up the top portion of the phone; no need to press a button.
Unlike the RAZ Memory Cell Phone or the KidsConnect KC2, incoming calls cannot be limited to contacts. Thus, the IRIS Easy Flip is not a good option if you are concerned about the senior being taken advantage of by predatory callers.
Users can dial 911 in the event of an emergency. They must type each digit individually.
Unlike the Jitterbug Flip2, the IRIS Easy Flip does not offer a connection to health services.
The IRIS Easy Flip supports other features, including text messaging, call history, a gallery, a browser, a calendar, a camera, a recorder, a music player, a clock, and a calculator. It does not support video calls.
Unfortunately, the cell phone does not support voice typing (i.e., speech-to-text); messages must be typed with the old T9 keypad, which is difficult. This seriously limits the usefulness of the text messages feature.
Users can also make various adjustments in settings, such as to colors, and the size of the text.
The IRIS Easy Flip is a basic cell phone. But not sufficiently basic for many with dementia. The cell phone still has a menu system that the senior must navigate, and some of the phone’s buttons are not labeled. And there are too many features for someone with cognitive decline. One nice feature is that you can include contact photos for those with difficulty remembering names, but the photos are small.
The IRIS Easy Flip is $59 on the Consumer Cellular website. People who purchase the IRIS Easy Flip must use the Consumer Cellular wireless service. Consumer Cellular uses AT&T’s network, so coverage is good. Unlimited talk-and-text and 1 GB of data is $20.00 per month. 1 GB of data should be more than enough for this phone.
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