Other recommend for iphone and phone plan for elderly

[Trumpy]

any help would be appreciated. i have older parents who need to upgrade their phones, 1 has an android phone, other is a windows(!) phone. i gave them my old iPad and they understand iOS is easy to use. has anyone set up their parents with two iPhones and a new phone plan? any iPhone is new to them and any switching to a plan is on the table. Thanks!

 

[cousintim]

If it were me, I'd get them each a iPhone 11 Max (more screen area with larger fonts) and a shared plan from Consumer Cellular.

 

[kanga1622]

We just passed down an XR to my 70+ year old MIL. We put her on our plan with unlimited talk, text, and data. We even added her to our Family Sharing plan through Apple so her phone will backup to our iCloud account.

A lot will depend on how they plan to use a phone. MIL doesn't do much video on her phone but does like to stream radio.

 

[SisterBlue22]

My dad is 77 and has had a flip phone on my family plan for years. Last year I bought him a 6s (super cheap through AT&T) and taught him the basics. Now he uses voice to text and texts for the first time ever (even though he swore for years that texting was stupid and he'd never do it) and it's easier to check in on him quickly.

 

[Trumpy]

Thanks, these are great suggestions. I won't be using a family plan myself with them, but I think they'd have some shared plan I can find. And ANY iPhone screen is bigger than the current ones they have. I am amazed that my dad's Windows Lumina phone is still working.

 

[Allyance]

Why do you always assume older people can't do anything?? I am 76, have had iPhones for 10 years, have an 12 Pro on order, have an iMac, Apple watch (second one) and I ride a sports bike through the canyons.

Don't forget both Presidential candidates are well over 70!

 

[Ladybug]

Depending on what and how much they use their phones I’d consider the SE2 or a 12 if they want something larger. As for the SE2 it retains the Home button so that might be a consideration. The fonts can be enlarged on any phone and most older people use reading glasses anyway. Also, why not ask them what size phone they'd be most comfortable with?

 

[fatTribble]

Why do you always assume older people can't do anything?? I am 76, have had iPhones for 10 years, have an 12 Pro on order, have an iMac, Apple watch (second one) and I ride a sports bike through the canyons.

Don't forget both Presidential candidates are well over 70!

When he said elderly it didn’t occur to me he would be talking about someone in their 70s

 

[fatTribble]

FWIW both my parents did fine with iPhones. My Mom has had a stroke so I was worried how she would do. When I gave her my X I was worried the change to Face ID would be tough. She was using it even before I could explain it. They’ll love them. You’re a good kid!

 

[mebehere]

I agree with SE2, especially if they will hold onto them for several years. It’s new. It’s fast. And it has the home button like their iPad so they won’t have to learn new gestures just yet. Continuity.

Plus, you can find them for $200 as opposed to their normal $400 retail price. I got one for my mom, upgrading from a 5c and she loves it.

As far as plan is concerned, I would add them to your plan. Cheaper for everyone.

 

[Zazoh]

Why do you always assume older people can't do anything?? I am 76, have had iPhones for 10 years, have an 12 Pro on order, have an iMac, Apple watch (second one) and I ride a sports bike through the canyons.

Don't forget both Presidential candidates are well over 70!

It varies. My Stepfather was like you when he passed at 80. My mom is 83 and cannot use a Smartphone. She never took to technology despite us trying for years.

 

[HarryWild]

Why do you always assume older people can't do anything?? I am 76, have had iPhones for 10 years, have an 12 Pro on order, have an iMac, Apple watch (second one) and I ride a sports bike through the canyons.

Don't forget both Presidential candidates are well over 70!

Speaker of the House is around 80 years old and is in tip top shape still and Senate Majority is in his mid 70s. The President now does 5-6 rally's a day, 14 hours non stop!

 

[mebehere]

It varies. My Stepfather was like you when he passed at 80. My mom is 83 and cannot use a Smartphone. She never took to technology despite us trying for years.

I’m sorry for your loss. It’s strange how some can be technologically capable at an older age with current technology and some can’t. My mom is in her 70s. She uses her iPad and iPhone just fine (sort of). But she absolutely cannot troubleshoot. If things get weird, I have to step in.

Like accidentally going into split screen on her iPad. I don’t even know by heart how to get out of that because I don't use it. So I Google and we get it worked out.

There’s a certain satisfaction to being tech support. But there’s also a worry I won’t be there to help.

I still don’t know how to remedy this, as so many Google results are trash.

 

[edhchoe]

I highly recommend Visible.com.
If you have 3 people in the group, you would be paying $30 per line for unlimited everything. Taxes included.
You can all have separate billing. You just have to be in the party.
If you have 4 in the party, each person's bill goes down to $25.
You can have a total stranger from this forum join your party to make it a party of 4.
Visible uses Verizon network.

 

[staggerlee41]

My parents both had/have iPhones and did great. Both also had/have Mom still has an 8, my father who passed a nearly a year ago kept getting my old phones. The last one he used was a 6S. For their basic needs of getting calls, checking mail, watching videos, they were great. I added them to my Verizon plan. Once the phones were paid off, the cost was like $27 a month. Not sure which provider/plan you have, but adding phones would likely be cheaper than them having their own plan. At least that's what I found and why I added them to my plan.

iOS 14 is working great on the 6S, I use that as a test device, first iOS device I upgrade. As for which model. That's a tough one. You don't want to go so old that you'd be at risk of losing support, but likely don't need the latest and greatest tech. If it were me, I'd look at any deals my provider has and make decisions based on that. Or look at incentives providers are offering and possibly make a switch of your own. Coverage is key.

Regarding phone size. I agree with larger real estate screen wise to a point though. My father was going to get my 8+ when I upgraded. Probably would have done that last year but he passed before I upgraded. He would have appreciated the larger phone size both hands and eyes. My mother on the other hand, would not like it. She doesn't want a larger form factor, though would appreciate larger screen size. Font is easily adjusted as well. This isn't to say phone size is a gender based choice, more to say it's about personal preference but certainly something to keep in mind. Good luck. Let us know what you end up doing please.

 

[LFC2020]

Which color apple leather case is everyone getting for their pacific blue pro max when they get released?

Thinking of going with the blue leather case, only concern is how will the blue leather age over time, might not look as good as the brown or black leather cases over time.

 

[SisterBlue22]

Why do you always assume older people can't do anything?? I am 76, have had iPhones for 10 years, have an 12 Pro on order, have an iMac, Apple watch (second one) and I ride a sports bike through the canyons.

Don't forget both Presidential candidates are well over 70!

I personally don't assume anything - it truly depends on the person. I'm 48 years old, majored in computer science in college in the late 80's, and I've always worked in technology, and been personally interested in technology, but I know many my age who can barely use a smartphone or work a smart TV.

My dad is 77, and it's a real struggle with him...he's not learned or "kept up" with technology at all over the years, so many things that are just intuitive to many of us who are tech savvy are completely beyond his imagination, since he has no frame of reference. Swiping the screen left or right or using other gestures is just not something that would ever occur to him to try, so learning to use his iPhone has been really slow.

I'm guessing that if the OP's parents were tech savvy, he wouldn't be here asking this question, because they'd be picking their own phones based on their personal preferences...so we're assuming they are not tech savvy in this case.

 

[Trumpy]

Jumping in here; sorry, i did NOT mean to offend anyone, I should have said my entire family are not tech savvy, my younger brother included.

And to close this out, my parents went ahead and bought two iPhone 11, without my input, so this weekend I will be explaining to them what Face ID is and to not be afraid of it scanning them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thank you all!

 

[m.x]

Jumping in here; sorry, i did NOT mean to offend anyone, I should have said my entire family are not tech savvy, my younger brother included.

And to close this out, my parents went ahead and bought two iPhone 11, without my input, so this weekend I will be explaining to them what Face ID is and to not be afraid of it scanning them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thank you all!

My parents (both in their early 60s) were also a bit skeptical of TouchID. It helped when I explained that the fingerprints (or faces) are stored locally on the phone, that they are not stored as pictures, only as long rows of numbers and how apps access them (they never see the data, just a simple "yes, it is the fingerprint"/"no, please try again").

I personally don't assume anything - it truly depends on the person. I'm 48 years old, majored in computer science in college in the late 80's, and I've always worked in technology, and been personally interested in technology, but I know many my age who can barely use a smartphone or work a smart TV.

My dad is 77, and it's a real struggle with him...he's not learned or "kept up" with technology at all over the years, so many things that are just intuitive to many of us who are tech savvy are completely beyond his imagination, since he has no frame of reference. Swiping the screen left or right or using other gestures is just not something that would ever occur to him to try, so learning to use his iPhone has been really slow.

I'm guessing that if the OP's parents were tech savvy, he wouldn't be here asking this question, because they'd be picking their own phones based on their personal preferences...so we're assuming they are not tech savvy in this case.

Have you had any success in explaining your dad the basic "layers" which make it so intuitive for us? I always fail at that point with my grandma, but I think I'm expecting too much, she is nearly 90 and never had any electrical device before the age of 86... I'm quite proud that she can write a few iMessages with her iPad and that she is able call me with her iPhone (5c, no other apps than the phone app).

 

[SisterBlue22]

Have you had any success in explaining your dad the basic "layers" which make it so intuitive for us? I always fail at that point with my grandma, but I think I'm expecting too much, she is nearly 90 and never had any electrical device before the age of 86... I'm quite proud that she can write a few iMessages with her iPad and that she is able call me with her iPhone (5c, no other apps than the phone app).

Oh yes...I've tried. He's learning now, but slowly. It helps that he's in a retirement community now, and many of his friends have iPhones, so they show him how to do stuff.