Published: April 22, 2024
Updated: April 22, 2024
The RAZ Memory Cell Phone is designed for seniors who need a simple solution, perhaps because they are experiencing cognitive decline.
Unfortunately, many seniors who have cognitive decline also experience hand tremors or lack of mobility as a result of Parkinson’s disease, stroke, or arthritis. For these individuals, the RAZ Memory Cell Phone offers a special “mode” described below. But first, here is a general description of the phone.
The RAZ Memory Cell Phone Starts and Ends with Simplicity
The RAZ Memory Cell Phone focuses on simplicity, making it a great option for seniors with mild cognitive impairment or dementia, or for seniors who want a simple solution. To achieve simplicity, the RAZ Memory Cell Phone has one primary screen; there is no menu system. The screen includes a maximum of six contacts, with an option for up to fifty. Contacts appear on the screen in the form of pictures with names underneath.
The pictures make it very easy for the senior to initiate a call: the senior taps and holds the picture of the person they wish to call. That’s it! There is no menu system, no apps, no ability to access settings …etc. No phone is as easy to use.
To further simplify the experience, the volume button is disabled and set to the highest possible volume (most seniors require the loudest volume setting), there is no lock screen that the senior needs to circumvent with a password or other action, and the power button can be disabled in case the senior has difficulty turning the phone on and off.
RAZ Mobility participates in the AARP’s AgeTech Collaborative. The cell phone won the Collaborative’s 2022 Connect and Thrive pitch competition.
Control the Cell Phone from Afar with Remote Manage
Typically, a cell phone is managed by the user herself. To maximize the RAZ Memory Cell Phone’s ease of use, however, caregivers manage the phone through a groundbreaking feature called Remote Manage. Remote Manage provides caregivers the ability to manage all features of the RAZ Memory Cell Phone from anywhere in the U.S. or Canada, using a mobile application called the RAZ care app. Accordingly, the senior does not have access to the device settings. Instead, the caregiver controls these settings, and all features of the phone, through the app.
Remote Manage, available through the RAZ Care app, provides caregivers with many capabilities. These include:
- Manage contacts – Create, delete, and edit your senior’s contacts, including the contact pictures.
- Limit incoming calls to those from contacts – Block incoming calls from anyone other than contacts to prevent phone fraud.
- Video calls – Video call your senior through the mobile application.
- Quiet hours – Set up times of the day during which the senior cannot call certain contacts, for example, in the middle of the night.
- Text message alerts when the battery is low – When the RAZ Memory Cell Phone battery is low, the caregiver will receive a text message alert. The caregiver can then remind the senior to charge their phone.
- Remind the user to charge – When the battery is low, the senior will receive a reminder to charge.
- Missed calls – Provide the senior the option to be notified of missed calls.
- Reminders – Send your senior reminders of things they should do or of upcoming events.
- Status information – Check the status of the phone’s battery, signal strength, location, whether the phone is currently being charged, and whether the phone is powered on or off.
- Auto answer – Phone calls will be answered automatically, after two or three rings, without the senior having to press “Answer.” This can help someone with mobility difficulties.
- Calls to the speaker – Calls will automatically go to the speaker.
- Keypad – A keypad icon can appear on the display to provide access to a keypad.
- Voicemail – A voicemail icon can appear on the display to provide easy access to voicemail.
- Toll-free calls – A keypad will appear automatically when the user dials a toll-free number to allow the senior to navigate the automated phone system.
- Receive a text message when the user calls 911 – Up to 3 people will receive text messages when the senior calls 911.
- Announce that battery is charging – The phone will say “phone charging” when charging.
- Hear the caller’s name – The phone will announce the caller’s name out loud during an incoming call.
- Day of the week, month, and date – Options for the RAZ Memory Cell Phone to include the day of the week, or month and date in the status bar.
The RAZ Care app includes an interesting feature called the Dementia Care Advisor. Ask a question about dementia, and the Advisor will provide a trusted answer. The Dementia Care Advisor is a unique AI tool that helps caregivers get answers to their dementia-related questions. It is trained on trusted sources of clinical data, ensuring reliable answers. The tool is available at no additional charge.
Special “Mode” for Seniors with Parkinson’s, Hand Tremors, or Arthritis
With this mode activated, instead of six (6) contacts per page, there will be only two, and the contacts will be much larger, making it significantly easier for a senior with Parkinson’s, hand tremors, or arthritis to initiate a phone call. Further, the Emergency button, answer button, and hang-up button, are also larger.
The caregiver can activate this special mode through the RAZ Care app. The caregiver can customize the contact icons by selecting the color schemes. For example, the contact names can be in yellow and the background in black. Customizing the colors is a major benefit to seniors with vision loss.
Another feature that makes the cell phone significantly easier for seniors with Parkinson’s disease, hand tremors, or arthritis to use, is Auto Answer. With this feature activated, voice and video calls will be automatically answered after two or three rings and will go to the speaker. The senior does not have to press any button to answer the call! Because the call goes to the speaker, the senior does not even need to pick up the phone! This is a helpful feature for someone with mobility challenges.
Also, a wireless charging set is available that can significantly benefit someone with Parkinson’s, hand tremors, or arthritis. Instead of charging the phone by connecting the charging cable to the phone’s charging port, the senior can place the phone onto a charging tray. This wireless charging set is an accessory that costs $59.00.
Price and Wireless Service
The price of the RAZ Memory Cell Phone is $349.00. It is compatible with all major wireless providers, including Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Ultra Mobile, Mint Mobile, Affinity Cellular, Consumer Cellular, and others.
The phone is unlocked, so the user can select his or her wireless provider and plan. The phone comes with a free SIM card and three (3) free months of service from Affinity Cellular.
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