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

Mature Views is a periodic round up of news, comments and opinions from blogs around the world which focus on mature internet users and the elderly.

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Seniors Discounts is helping you save money with Savings tips for the over 50s. Also, if you’re considering life insurance find out how you can dramitcally reduce the price of your premiums with Life insurance for over 50s – 3 steps to cheaper life insurance.

Mature Match has some helpful dating tips for over 50s singles.

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 Doro Handle Easy 330 is a no fuss, easy to use cell phone. The first thing you will notice with the Doro Handle Easy is its simplicity – BIG rubber buttons and oversized, easy to read colour display, making it the ideal phone for making calls and sending text messages.

For the hard of hearing the Handle Easy 330 has a very loud speaker, headset outlet, speaker phone and vibrating aleart to make sure you never miss a call!

There is no need to memorize phone numbers, it has a memory to store up to 100 phone numbers. The main features include:

• Pre-dialling
• Two-way speakerphone
• Keylock
• Call timer

For safety and piece of mind the Doro Handle Easy 330 has an LED flashlight and one touch dial up safety alarm, which are not found in most cell phones.

Purchase Now – through Amazon US – Doro 330 HandleEasy
Purchase Now – through Amazon UK – Doro 330 HandleEasy

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.