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Finding the Right Handset
For Older Cellphone Users By Katherine Meyer, The Wall Street
Journal
Cellphones can be a handy asset for older users, but as
the devices get smaller and more complex, finding the right phone can be a
hassle. Many senior
citizens say they'd feel
safer and more secure having a cellphone, yet people over 65 years old are
largely ignored by youth-focused wireless carriers. Otherwise, we'd be
seeing more effort to produce simpler phones with easier-to-read keypads
and louder rings. For seniors with health problems or who live and go out
alone, a cellphone offers quick access to emergency help, and brings peace
of mind to concerned family members, as well as the senior. Seniors who
use cellphones are more concerned than the overall population with safety,
with 44% putting "safety and security" as the reason they
purchased a cellphone, compared with 31% of the overall wireless
population, according to a study earlier this year by research firm Yankee
Group. Currently, seniors make up about 15% of overall cellphone
users, according to the Yankee Group study. The study also offered up
reasons why the numbers aren't higher. Older people are often too
"set in their ways to learn how to use handsets," the study
found. And the loss of manual dexterity, hearing and eyesight also make it
difficult for seniors to learn how to use mobile devices. Susan Fischer recently bought a cellphone for her mother,
Ada Fischer, who's 91 and lives on her own in West Palm Beach, Fla.
"She doesn't have a car anymore, so this way if she goes to the store
she can easily call a cab," said Ms. Fischer. To help her out, Ms.
Fischer bought her own copy of the manual for the cellphone, a Nokia 3390,
and helps walk her mother through tricky steps. Thoughtful shopping can get around some of the problems.
When purchasing a phone for an older person, it's important to pay
attention to the size of the buttons as well as the "size of the
numbers and words on the key pad," says Penelope Stetz, author of
"The Cellphone Buyers Guide." Since hearing is also an issue,
Ms. Stetz recommends older people try out different rings at the store
before buying the phone. She says people should also make sure the phone
has a vibrate mode, as this can be a valuable alternative to ringtones for
the hard of hearing, she says. "Most phones sold today are more complicated than an
older person needs," adds Ms. Stetz, who recommends seniors avoid
state-of-the-art models such as camera phones, unless they're buying it
for a specific reason. Even the simple ones might can be daunting for someone
who came of age with rotary phones. If you're dealing with an elderly
relative who has trouble with buttons, you might want to help program the
speed-dialing function. Voice commands are another good option. Cellphone makers also offer devices designed to make
phones compatible with hearing aids, which start at about $30. And the
phones themselves are supposed to get more hearing-aid friendly in the
next few years. This past July, the Federal Communications Commission
mandated that by 2008 half the digital handsets will be required to emit
less of the radio frequencies that interfere with hearing aids. Another tip for elderly ears: Some experts also say it's
easier to hear conversations with a clam-shell type handset, as opposed to
the solid, straight handsets. If a cellphone is needed only for emergencies, an old or
used phone -- often available cheaply at charity-run thrift shops -- might
be all that's needed. All of them are capable of connecting to 911 at no
cost, as long as the battery is charged. Retirees and others on fixed incomes have shown an
interest in prepaid cellphone plans, which allow users to pay upfront for
a certain number of minutes rather than subscribe to a plan, according to
Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Andrea Linskey. However, Ms. Stetz warns that
older customers should be aware that the minutes on most prepaid plans
expire within a certain time frame, often every 30 days, and if the user
doesn't renew the card, he or she could lose use of the phone number. To be sure, some of the over-65 set have embraced the new
technology. Dorothy Newman, an 80-year-old resident of "It's nice to feel you're part of the 21st century," she says. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging |
![[Photo of Dorothy Newman]](cellph13.gif)