The best phone for an elderly parent: how to choose

"What phone should I get my mom?" is a question many adult children ask. The honest answer is that it depends less on the phone and more on the person. A phone that’s perfect for a tech-curious 75-year-old can be a daily source of stress for someone with early memory loss.

Here’s how to think it through.

Start with four questions

1. What do they actually want to do? Just calls? Texts and photos of the grandkids? Video calls? Banking? Write it down.
2. What phone does the family use? If everyone has an iPhone, it’s easier to help a parent with an iPhone, and FaceTime and shared albums just work.
3. How are their eyes, ears and hands? Small text, hearing loss or arthritis change the answer.
4. How is their memory? Someone who forgets how to unlock a phone needs something very different from someone who just dislikes clutter.

Option 1: An iPhone, simplified

Good for: Parents who want to text, video call and see photos, especially if the family uses iPhones.

A regular iPhone can be made much simpler:

• Assistive Access replaces the home screen with a few large buttons, such as Calls, Messages, Camera and Photos. You choose which apps appear and which contacts they can call. Set it up in Settings > Accessibility > Assistive Access. It’s very helpful for people with cognitive challenges, though it limits what the phone can do.
• Bigger text and bold text make everything easier to read. See making text bigger.
• Silence Unknown Callers cuts down on scam calls. See how to block spam calls.
• Fall detection works with an Apple Watch. See Apple Watch fall detection.
• Most iPhones are compatible with hearing aids, and many hearing aids stream calls directly to the ear.

A larger model is often easier on the eyes. Choose at least 128 GB of storage so photos don’t fill it up. Our guide to setting up a new iPhone for a parent walks through the rest.

Option 2: A Samsung or other Android phone with Easy mode

Good for: Families already on Android, or parents who want a bigger screen for less money.

Samsung Galaxy phones have Easy mode (Settings > Display > Easy mode), which makes icons and text larger and simplifies the home screen. Google Pixel phones have a Simple View option in accessibility settings on some versions, plus very good built-in call screening and captions.

Android works fine for older adults. The main thing is to match what the person who’ll help them most is comfortable with.

Option 3: A senior-focused phone like Jitterbug

Good for: Parents who want a phone that’s simple from the start, with easy access to help.

Lively makes the Jitterbug phones:

• Jitterbug Smart5 is a smartphone with a simplified menu: a single list of large buttons instead of a grid of apps.
• Jitterbug Flip3 is a flip phone with big buttons, a loud speaker and a simple menu.

Both work with Lively’s service plans, which can include an urgent response button and access to Lively’s own support. Older models like the Smart4 and Flip2 are discontinued, though you may still see them for sale.

Jitterbug vs iPhone

• Pick a Jitterbug if your parent wants simplicity, doesn’t need many apps, and would value a help button connected to a service.
• Pick an iPhone if they want FaceTime, iMessage with the family, shared photo albums, or apps like MyChart, and someone nearby can help them learn it.

Neither is "better." A flip phone that gets used beats a smartphone that sits in a drawer.

Option 4: Phones for memory loss and dementia

Good for: Parents with moderate memory loss who get confused by menus, or who are being targeted by scam calls.

Dedicated memory phones, such as the RAZ Memory Cell Phone, show a short list of photo contacts. Tap a face, and it calls. There’s no app store, no browser and, depending on settings, no calls from unknown numbers. Family can manage it remotely.

An iPhone with Assistive Access can do something similar, with a very limited set of large buttons. Which is better depends on how much the person still uses and how much remote control the family wants.

For a parent with dementia, also consider:

• Blocking calls from anyone not in their contacts
• Turning off app purchases
• Keeping the same phone and layout for as long as possible, since change can be hard

Option 5: A simple plan, not just a simple phone

The carrier matters too. Consumer Cellular is popular with older adults and offers plans with a choice of phones. Joining a family plan on the big carriers can be cheaper and makes it easier for an adult child to manage the account. Check coverage at your parent’s home, not just yours.

Features worth checking on any phone

• Hearing aid compatibility: look for an M3/M4 or T3/T4 rating, or a hearing aid compatibility label, or check the phone’s support page.
• Loud speaker and ringer
• A screen big enough to read
• Face ID or a fingerprint reader, so they don’t have to type a passcode every time
• Easy charging: a charging stand can be easier than plugging in a cable
• Emergency features: Medical ID, Emergency SOS, fall or crash detection. See setting up Medical ID.

A quick decision guide

• Wants to video call the grandkids and see photos: iPhone or Android, simplified
• Wants to call and text, nothing else: Jitterbug Flip3 or a simple flip phone
• Wants a smartphone but finds them overwhelming: Jitterbug Smart5, iPhone with Assistive Access, or Samsung Easy mode
• Has memory loss or is targeted by scammers: a memory phone or Assistive Access, with unknown callers blocked

When to get help

Choosing a phone is only half the job. The setup, moving contacts and photos, and teaching it gently over a few sessions is where most families get stuck. We can help you choose, set it up before it’s given, and visit to teach it at your parent’s pace. Family members can join by video. Book a free 15-minute call.