Is the world a safe place for elderly women and seniors over 65? Not with guys like Jack Rhodes around – a man convicted on 13th October, 2009 for assaulting and mugging three defenseless aged women, one of whom was no less than a 101 years!

New York City is no stranger to burglaries, thefts and mugging. However, the case of Jack Rhodes stands out as an outright violation of the New York State Hate Crimes Act of 2000, that have been put in place to render harsher sentences for those assaulting elderly people, taking advantage of their age and loss of strength and agility.

Rhodes, who is no tipsy teenager himself, being 47, can get a sentence of up to 90 years in prison for charges that account for burglary, robbery and assault.

Morat, 101, was attacked and assaulted by Rhodes two years back. She was hit in the face and lost her walker, falling face down on the concrete pavement. Surveillance camera records proved it was Rhodes, and a background check by the police revealed more similar assaults on elderly women. Solange Elizee, 81 was attacked only about 30 minutes after the Morat mugging, and another aged woman, Angela Khan, then 51 had been hit and robbed by the same assailant a year back.

Commenting on Rhodes’ conviction, Richard Brown, the Queens’ District Attorney quipped, “The defendant’s propensity to savagely accost elderly and defenseless women, two of whom need the aide of a walker to get around, was rightly condemned by today’s guilty verdict”.

However, to avoid such incidents from happening over and over again, not only police surveillance, but easy-to-use mobile phones can also come in handy for elderly people, especially, to solicit help while or after being mugged or assaulted.

So, are you wondering how your not-so-tech-savvy grandpa might fare while you are on vacation this month? Well, the solution probably can never be more endearing than the Amplicom PowerTel M5000 mobile phone, which has been almost tailor-made to suit the elderly people.

The mobile phone has been acclaimed by critics worldwide for being HAC (Hearing Aid Compatible) – a great success for being an ideal telecommunication device for the elderly. Amplicom PowerTel M5000 also features a large range of characteristics that aim towards helping the aged consumers handle the phone better – especially, in emergencies.

• Large buttons for impaired eyesight
• Over-audible ringtones and sound (up to 100dB)
• Emergency button that can dial up to 5 emergency numbers in a sequence.
• Automatic keypad locking system
• Letters and fonts in larger size to allow easy reading of text and other matter on the display screen
• Other normal features such as red LED lights to showcase malfunctioning, hands-free, etc. are all available for the specified Amplicom mobile phone.

The phonebook and SMS memory is also considerably large in the PowerTel M5000 and can easily become a pet of the elderly person it is gifted to.

With easy to use features, you can relax while on the go, as the aged guys in the house won’t take long to familiarize themselves with the phone. Also, with the extra features incorporated into the Amplicom PowerTel M5000 phone, you don’t have to spend hours teaching your parents how to use it.

The facility to dial up to 5 emergency numbers in a sequence is also a great feature. By pressing a single button 5 pre-determined emergency numbers can be called up from the phone. Thus, even if the owner of the phone is not in a state to call, you will still be notified about any emergency or danger.

Overall, a great phone to ensure the safety of your near and dear ones when you are not with them!

Purchase Now – through Amazon UK – Amplicom PowerTel M5000 mobile phone

With the Swine Flu pandemic spreading across the world like wildfire, elderly people are facing a life threatening disease. Swine flu, unlike common influenza, is deadly and has already claimed over 3000 lives, most of whom are children or the elderly.

This calls for preventive measures that not only include wearing surgical masks and washing hands regularly (the clinical aspect) but also to help elderly persons by enabling them to solicit emergency help in dire situations. This is where phones for the elderly come into the picture.

Many think that phones for the elderly are unnecessary this late in life. Furthermore, children tend to avoid buying their parents or grandparents a phone due to the assumption they will not be able to work such a device. However, the importance of a phone in an elderly person’s life cannot be overlooked due to safety reasons.

Phones for the elderly are not only an assurance for them that they can get help easily during an emergency situation, but also continuously improve the independent living style of such elderly people. For those who have elderly parents, phones for the elderly are a very good option to stay out of serious trouble.

There have been several instances where elderly persons, having contacted the concerned relatives, friends or emergency paramedical personnel in time, have lived to see happy and healthy days in their life. So, if you have been contemplating getting a phone exclusively for a parent or grandparent, do it now. It may pay off rich dividends than you can ever imagine!

Home Phones and Big Button Phones for the Elderly

There is a large selction of big button phones suitable for people who can’t see as well as they used to or have impaired vision from ailments such as cataracts and macular degeneration:

Big Button phones in the United States
Big button phones in the United Kingdom

Simple Cell Phones and Mobiles for the Elderly

Simple Cell Phones – United States
Simple Mobile Phones – United Kingdom

Upgrade to the Amplicom PowerTel 50 Alarm Plus for reassurance in the case of an emergency involving yourself, parent or grandparent.

Emergency Call Pendant

In the event of an accident or fall the emergency pendant, which can be attached to the wrist or around the neck, can be pressed. A wireless signal is sent back to the handset activating the telephone to automatically call 3 phone numbers programmed in to the Amplicom PowerTel 50. Landlines, mobile phone numbers and emergency services can be added as contacts. The emergency pendant is also water resistant for added protection.

For the hard of hearing the call volume can be increased up to +40db and the built in induction loop makes the phone fully hearing aid compatible. If you have difficulty hearing your current phone changing to the PowerTel 50 should fix that problem. The ringing volume can be increased to 90dB, which is the equivalent of a heavy truck passing or the noise of city traffic – so you will never miss a call!

The phone has big back lit buttons for easy dialling and a large simple to read caller display. Up to 30 numbers can be programmed in to the phone and there is also a hands free speaker phone option.

Features at a glance:

• Amplified Telephone with Emergency Pendant
• Call Volume up to 40dB
• Ringer Volume up to 90dB
• Hearing aid compatible – Built in Inductive Loop
• Backlit Large Button keypad
• Name and Number Directory x 30
• Caller Display
• Handsfree Speaker phone
• Speed Dial Buttons x 2
• Wall Mountable

Purchase Now – through Amazon UK – Amplicom PowerTel 50 Alarm Plus

The mobile phone market in the UK is one of the most vibrant and widely adopted in the world. With over 70 million handsets servicing a population of just 60 million every age range and demographic has been thoroughly hooked on mobile phones for some time now. However, manufacturers have recognised that not every group requires the same kinds of functions from their phones, and that some modern handsets are difficult to use and understand for an older generation who may not be used to this particular technology.

As a result there are loads of great mobile phone out there that are specifically designed for elderly users. Every eventuality has been taken into account, whether it`s the simplification of menu screens so that you don`t need to work your way through superfluous menus to get the best out of a mobile phone, or if you`re having trouble using standard mobile phone interfaces and need some thing more accessible. Here are just some of the examples of mobile phone handsets made with the elderly user in mind.

Binatone Speak Easy Mobile Phone – If you’re looking for a big button mobile phone that`s great value then this is the handset for you. With its large, uncluttered button interface it`s easy to type in numbers and make calls no matter the levels of your dexterity. For those of you with digital hearing aids you`ll be pleased to hear that the Binatone Speak Easy is compatible with these devices, meaning you’ll never be left unable to hear a call again. It`s also doubles up as a handy tourch, and there are plenty of large hot keys for making calls to your three most frequently used numbers as well as a direct access to sending SMS text messages.

ITT Easyhelp – If you want slightly more from your mobile phone but want it to retain the ease of use of the Speak Easy then the Easyhelp has lots to offer. Not only does it have large buttons and a vibrant high contrast display, it also has an address book with the ability to store 100 different contacts. This phone also takes on some swiss army knife qualities thanks to the built in torch and flip out magnifying glass. If you want to talk without clasping the phone to your ear there`s also a particularly loud hands free mode, allowing you to sit back and converse whilst the phone is on the table or your lap.

Doro Phone Easy 410 Clamshell – Merging modern style with easy to access functionality, this is the worlds first digital hearing aid compatible phone that flips open like the aforementioned mollusc. It has a vibrant and easy to read colour display and also supports Bluetooth, a technology which allows you to connect a headset to the phone and make call without the need for wires. A modern phone suitable for elderly users who are unsure of how the technology works but want to learn more.

There are loads of mobile phone deals for the elderly online, and getting accessories like Bluetooth wireless headsets and neck loops for your phone is easy if you use price comparison sites.