Researcher Nicola Bilstein of the Catholic University in Eichstaett, Germany told iol scitech: “Most of them have a mobile phone in order to summon help in an emergency.” She added: “Only a few want to be constantly reachable. To them an SMS message is too impersonal.”
Bilstein recommended that the keypad on a mobile phone should be large and the display screen should be easy to read. Other technophiles said that mobile phones for the elderly be created to be visually more discreet than the models that came out a couple of years ago.
Mobile phone expert Markus Eckstein of the magazine connect, told iol scitech that some older adults opt for an emergency call function - or their grandchild would like them to have it. "Another says he or she doesn't want it at all."
Many mobile phones made for seniors are built with an emergency button. When pressed, several numbers are dialed in succession until someone takes the call. The senior's phone to speaker mode and may possess a function that also sends an SMS.
Stripped down mobile phones are recommended for seniors. Larger screens and keypads are optimal, according to Eckstein. Durable and waterproof mobiles are excellent products for older adults.
“I can set up the user interface as I wish and have a large display,” Eckstein told the media source. "But many seniors can't cope with the established mobile operating systems. They are too active, show too much information and ask the user to respond to too many questions about things like networks or GPS access," he said. “People who are not technology-savvy quickly become discouraged.”
Mobile phones have become mainstays with residents at Active Lifestyle facilities.