<p>My mom is in her early 80s, and wants a cell phone. I’d like to get her a no-contract one with some prepaid minutes for Christmas. The key requirements is that it has to be EASY to use. Larger buttons and a larger/readable display would be great. I am planning to trot down to Best Buy and take a look at what they have, but wondered if anyone here has any suggestions for a particular phone model. An easy method for increasing the minutes is best, too (she doesn’t use a computer, so can’t go online to get more minutes… but she does drive, so can go to the store and purchase a card or more minutes somehow there).</p>
<p>I have no experience with them, but have heard that Jitterbug phones are good for seniors…easy to read, special operators:</p>
<p>[Affordable</a>, No Contract, Simple Phones ? Jitterbug.com](<a href=“http://www.jitterbug.com/Phones/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=cell%2Bphone%2Bfor%2Bseniors&utm_content=Senior%2BCitizen%2BPhones&utm_campaign=Senior%2BPhones]Affordable”>http://www.jitterbug.com/Phones/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=cell%2Bphone%2Bfor%2Bseniors&utm_content=Senior%2BCitizen%2BPhones&utm_campaign=Senior%2BPhones)</p>
<p>How about that Jitterbug phone I always see advertised? Supposed to be SIMPLE, no frills, easy to see, and “live” customer service to help with just about anything. I’ve always wondered if it’s as good as they say…</p>
<p>(cross posted w/ anothermom-w-q)</p>
<p>Intparent, I am SO glad that you asked this question, because I have precisely the same issue with my mother. I will check out jitterbug.</p>
<p>You guys are quick! I went and did some searches on the web, and came back to see if anyone had posted yet. The two options I found are:</p>
<p>Clarity - But there are some awful reviews out there</p>
<p>Jitterbug - Looks like Best Buy sells a no contract Jitterbug (the online website for Jitterbug only talks about contracts, not prepaid options). The reviews seem to be pretty good. I am headed out to do some errands, so I will stop by and take a look at it. Will post to let you know what I find! My mom would like that it is red :)</p>
<p>I found that adding a extra cellphone/ # to my own plan was the easiest thing to do for my 90 something mother, the minutes of which are included in my family plan.
I wanted her to have one for emergencies and to always carry it when not home.</p>
<p>I programmed all the important #s…AAA, my and D’s #, doc, her best friends etc and stuck a sticker with these one or two digit #s with corresponding person on the back of her phone. All she needs to do is dial a digit.
She rarely uses it but I feel better she has it.</p>
<p>I looked into Jitterbug too…a good option.</p>
<p>I also added my mom (age 82) to my cell phone plan. The phone I got her has three large buttons across the top, which we programed with the house, my sister’s and my numbers. It’s just a little easier than regular speed dial, but she still manages to call the wrong person about half the time. She calls me on it often, which is good, because otherwise she will forget how to use it. I don’t think she has ever actually dialed a number on it.</p>
<p>AAA also has a Jitterbug Phone plan in many regions.</p>
<p>We purchased a TMobile phone and 1 year pre-paid plan for our dm in her 80’s. She loves it. The phone was an inexpensive “candybar” style with no special features. However, the simplicity was perfect for her. The prepaid yearly card also worked well, and if you add minutes later, they still last for a year. There was no monthly recharge required. TMobile had good service in her area, and there were many local stores which she has already visited to ask questions about the phone. From what I’ve heard, the employees have all been very friendly and helpful.</p>
<p>I just got back from checking out the Jitterbug. Unfortunately, “no contract” does not mean “no monthy bill for service”. I really want a prepaid option where we just refill the minutes when she needs them. But that is not available with the Jitterbug phone 
All they had left was black ones anyway (they said they sold a lot of them today).</p>
<p>They didn’t really show me any phones that looked as easy to use or well suited for an elderly person. They had smaller buttons, small display windows, and complicated menus. So I am (once again) cursing our annoying cell phone companies here in the US, which do not ever seem to sell what people actually want to buy… Maybe I am particularly annoyed because I helped D1 get set up with an unlocked phone in Europe AND a USB plug in internet modem this fall, and the options for getting coverage and minutes were great and faily inexpensive. No contracts or monthly fees, low rates compared to here, multiple choices of carriers.</p>
<p>I believe the phone we got my dad was a T mobile. Bought the phone at Costco. No contract. Can buy the minutes that expire after 3 mos or buy like 100 minutes for a year. Keep in mind the newer phones seem to have data plans and that may be what you get stuck paying for.</p>
<p>Here’s a whole site devoted to phones for seniors: [Cell</a> Phones for Seniors](<a href=“http://cellphonesforseniorcitizens.blogspot.com/]Cell”>http://cellphonesforseniorcitizens.blogspot.com/)</p>
<p>Adding a line to your family plan will almost certainly be the cheapest way to provide service for your Mom. The prepaid plans are pricey and often have monthly service charges and expiring minutes.</p>
<p>The Jitterbug phone has received poor reviews. [Jitterbug</a> Prepaid Cell Phone Service | Prepaid Reviews](<a href=“http://www.prepaidreviews.com/jitterbug.html]Jitterbug”>Jitterbug Prepaid Cell Phone Service | Prepaid Reviews)</p>
<p>The cheapest Jitterbug plan (50 minutes per month) costs $14.95 - more than the cost of adding a line to your family plan. If you already have unlimited texting on your family plan, the added line will have unlimited texting included. Only the most expensive Jitterbug plans have texting or voicemail. The ability to receive text messages can be useful for seniors who may never actually send a text message.</p>
<p>My mom and her sister, both in their mid to late 70s (so younger than yours) have become big texters, as they feel it is the best way to stay connected to their grandkids.</p>
<p>My parents (80 and 81) have and love their Jitterbug phone. My dad couldn’t hear on standard cell phones.
My in-laws 85 and 96 have a verizon phone, one that was recommended for elderly, hard of hearing and they never use it because they can’t hear on it.
My brother-in-law got the phone for my in laws because it was cheaper and more convenient to add them to their plan. They never use the phone though.</p>
<p>I was going to ask if anyone’s mom was actually texting.</p>
<p>
My husband’s parents don’t use their cell phones, either! They keep them in their chargers, conveniently located right next to the landline phone in their bedroom. They’ve decided that, because they’ve never needed them before, they never will need them. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Yes, we’ve asked them to at least keep them in the car in case of an emergency. Nothing doing.</p>
<p>Verizon Wireless Samsung Haven is a good choice. You can put her on your plan for something like $9.99/month. On behalf of my 80+ MIL, I had Verizon disable the internet feature so she couldn’t accidentally access the internet and be charged for data.</p>
<p>Neighbor had a Jitterbug phone but got rid of it. It had weird coverage issues…she couldn’t call out from her own house, but could receive calls at home. Every other cell phone in the world had no trouble working at her house.</p>
<p>My MIL likes a simple phone. FIL somehow ended up with a Blackberry and we all thought he was nuts but he how text messages the grandchildren and loves to send photos.
My Mom before she died had a cell phone for emergencies but never did figure out how to keep it charged.</p>
<p>Yes, I was also thinking about adding her to my Verizon family plan. They have a ridiculous 700 minutes as the lowest family plan number, and we usually use about 200 of them. We just mostly call each other 
I noticed the Samsung Haven online today and thought I would check it out.</p>