I could not find the old thread, if there was one, on this topic. My husband is tech phobic, so he needs a super simple basic phone. In addition, he just had a stoke and so far his left hand is basically useless. The phones at the rehab facility are not working due to the mud slides. And, in a case of perfect timing his ancient cell phone has died. I am planning to go to Verizon tomorrow . The last time I checked with them, the basic phones did not seem very basic. I went online and found a perfect phone but it doesn’t look like it works with Verizon.
All of that leads to my question. If a phone is unlocked, can I use it with Verizon.? My brain is so tired of trying to deal with all this.
Would he like a flip phone? I see some at verizonwireless.com. You also might consider picking up a tracfone - small investment, no commitment. Usually can be bought at grocery stores, Walgreens type drug stores, Target, Walmart etc. Walmart has their own variation of tracfone type service. They might try to sell you on a $40 a month plan but something cheaper might work depending on typical usage.
If he can get past the learning hurdle, he might like a smartphone that can respond to voice commands vs. punching buttons.
Get a phone where he can use seri or alexa or google so that he can speak his instructions - “call john at home”. This is very useful for somebody who can’t use his hands.
I gave H my old iPad after I had my son remove all of the apps, leaving only mail and weather. He will only use it if I am sitting across the table so I can “rescue” him when he gets confused. I had little patience with him before the stroke so now I am trying to avoid things that will frustrate him. If he does not regain much use of his left hand, he will need something that can be done one-handed.
If the phones worked at the facility, I would wait to see how much he can do in a few weeks. Talking on the phone is so important right now both for speech therapy and to keep him from being depressed. He had just gotten back to his pre-surgery condition from heart surgery done last April when the stroke occurred.
Would it be easier for him to use FaceTime just the audio? He could do,that to anyone with an iPhone. Perhaps set up with then importent people on your family…and friends.
I had thought about FaceTime although we have never used it. I will look at it in the morning when my brain is more awake. I know many of his friends use iPhones. At the very least, our son and I could talk to him.
Of course, if something can go wrong it will. Three nights ago at 2am Pittsburgh time, my iPhone placed 58 FaceTime calls to an acquaintance in California that I have never talked to on my phone. I had her number from a text she sent back in October. Verizon couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Apple had me reset Messenger and Facebook. Hopefully it won’t happen again. Kinda freaked me out.
Just google for Verizon basic phones, and you will get links to what is currently available. They have several flip phone models and at least one “candy bar” right now. If you can’t find the same model he has been using, maybe you can find one that is similar. Also, you might be able to find a re-conditioned one that is the same as his old one. The last thing he needs right now is a phone that he needs to learn how to use.
Happymomof1, that sounds like good advice except that his old dead phone is around 30 years old. It is about the size of a brick. Even if I could find a re-conditioned one, it is difficult to use because the keys are so small.
Rehab facility’s phones came back on while I was at Verizon. Since the emergency was over and there is a $35 restocking fee, I will wait to buy him a new phone when he can try it out in the store. I was able to flip it open one handed and the keys are at least a large as on his dinosaur phone but he is so stubborn I will let him choose.
On a positive note, I was able to get to his OT session today. Today was his fifth day of therapy and he was able to lift his arm and grasp an object (with some help). We think he will have 2 more weeks of inpatient therapy. If he continues to progress at this rate, he might regain the use of his left arm.
@lotsofquests : My 96-year-old mother was happier with my old iPhone 3 than the Jitterbug we tried. I deleted apps down to the very minimum. Don’t know if you can still find one. Mom passed away in January. If you’d like to try it (it’s an ATT-compatible sim card phone), get in touch with me. I probably still have the Jitterbug around somewhere as well, but God only knows if I could match it up with the charger.