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V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
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Hi - I am looking for the best cell phone/cell phone plan for my mother who has dementia. I need pictures for her to dial on it. The facility she is going to does not have landline phone jacks. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
A person with dementia can’t be taught how to use it. If by chance she does learn, it will not stick for long.
My mom is 82. No dementia yet, but she’s stayed away from any kind of technology. She has a basic cell phone and she can do is call people. She cannot grasp texting or how to take a picture with it. It would be impossible for her to understand it if she had dementia.
Would she understand that it needs recharging at night? Would she remember to do that?
Also keep in mind that any phone that can be dialed will work for 911. Doesn’t matter if the phone is inactive. You don’t need a service provider (ATT, T-Mobile, etc) for a phone to call 911. It’s not unusual for people with dementia to call them for no legit reason.
A cheap old fashioned "flip phone" is available called a Jitterbug. Around $45, it can make calls and send texts, take simple pics and is easy to use. Big buttons, easy to read and comes in RED and black, with RED being easy to find. It comes with a little charging stand to keep it in. The charger has a USB connection, so you'd need a USB adapter that plugs in an electric outlet. No Internet access at all. You open it to answer, snap it closed to hang up. A little red light flashes if you missed a call or got a Voice Mail.
You get service with LIVELY for about $20 a month. I tried 2-3 cheapest Smart Phones ($100-$300) which got lost or never used. Consumer Cellular also has a similar model.
Others here have warned about the Demented Senior using a phone as a "weapon" with constant crazy texts, or hundreds of crying calls. If they have a phone, they will tend to not get involved with the facility activities. In my case, I needed to have solid communication, with no excuses. He doesn't even call ME, unless I ask him to call when he gets home safe, which he does. I told him first time he plays no answer, I will call the police for a wellness check. So far, it's worked fine.
We have a phone called Pinwheel for our mom, which is a phone originally designed for young teems and has a lot of controls. There is an app attached to it where my sister and I can add/approve contacts, monitor her texts, and so on. A little pricey, but a great tool for the right situation.
Having said that, if we had it to do again, we would NOT have allowed her to have a phone at this stage in memory care. She convinced us to get her another phone after her original smart phone died, saying she would like to stay in touch with family and friends. But instead? Her constant texting is brutal (and yes, we even block her for periods of time for our own mental health), and she spends a ridiculous amount of time spinning up wild plans to "escape" from the facility and throwing my sister and I under the bus to our other family members. I think having a phone has almost made it worse for our mom because it keeps her from fully plugging in to the activities at the facility. We're waiting for the time when her cognitive and physical abilities will be such that she can no longer operate the phone, and then we'll look forward to deactivating it. Lesson learned.
windmiller1973, welcome to the forum. Regarding cellphones... I am pretty sharp when it comes to using computer software, if it's on the Internet I can find it... but was a bumbling mess trying to use a cellphone. Even with the large font on the phone, I still needed to use a magnifying glass to see what was on the text/pictures (due to age related eye issues)....
Plus the sound quality was terrible, I was constantly asking for the caller to repeat what they were saying.... and if there was background noise, forgetaboutit.
I am really surprised the facility your mother is going to does not offer phone jacks for landlines. That should be a must. My Dad had his landline, even when he transferred to Memory Care. He was pretty good regarding calling, mainly once a day. But I have heard cases of a parents calling every few minutes because their memory forgot they had just called.
Do NOT get her a cell phone -- she will lose it or never remember to charge it.
I've read on this forum where you may be able to set up an Alexa or Google video or voice access where she doesn't have to do anything.
When my 95 yr-old Mom's flip phone broke I got her the Raz Mobility phone. She'd never had a smart phone-type phone before so it took her a while to get used to it. I control everything from an app on my phone:
- who she can call (with pictures of the people) - who can call her (she can be allowed access to a key pad to dial out if permitted) - I control how hard she has to press the button to call out - I control when she can call and when she can receive calls
BUT, it is not an actual smart phone, it just looks like one. So, there's no video calling on it, no internet. She will still need to remember to charge it and I can set reminders that speak out loud to her, but she has to be near it to hear it or read it.
I think that you will find that most people with dementia are not capable of handling phones, and especially cell phones often enough.
While the facility may not have phone jacks for plug ins I think before doing more research, and wasting money on something soon enough lost, you should speak with the facility about ways to call your mom. I stayed in touch with my brother's ex in his facility after my brother was gone. It amounted to calling the "cottage" at his memory care at stipulated times; phone was handed to him for brief conversation, and that was that.
Another consideration? Seniors who are suffering with dementia, who CAN use phones often become quite problematic, especially if you yourself are working.
If you choose to go ahead, know that RAZmobility.com has a senior cell phone with pictures. Not cheap at about 250.00. There may be others out there I am unaware of and I know this subject frequent comes up. If you go up to the AC timeline and type into the search bar "best phones for seniors" you will see other questions and answers. And in these matters the internet is your friend; you will find a lot of recommendations of devices for seniors. I wish you best luck in finding just the right option. Hope you will post here if you DO find one, as it's how we learn and help others on this site.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
A person with dementia can’t be taught how to use it. If by chance she does learn, it will not stick for long.
My mom is 82. No dementia yet, but she’s stayed away from any kind of technology. She has a basic cell phone and she can do is call people. She cannot grasp texting or how to take a picture with it. It would be impossible for her to understand it if she had dementia.
Would she understand that it needs recharging at night? Would she remember to do that?
Also keep in mind that any phone that can be dialed will work for 911. Doesn’t matter if the phone is inactive. You don’t need a service provider (ATT, T-Mobile, etc) for a phone to call 911. It’s not unusual for people with dementia to call them for no legit reason.
You get service with LIVELY for about $20 a month. I tried 2-3 cheapest Smart Phones ($100-$300) which got lost or never used. Consumer Cellular also has a similar model.
Others here have warned about the Demented Senior using a phone as a "weapon" with constant crazy texts, or hundreds of crying calls. If they have a phone, they will tend to not get involved with the facility activities. In my case, I needed to have solid communication, with no excuses. He doesn't even call ME, unless I ask him to call when he gets home safe, which he does. I told him first time he plays no answer, I will call the police for a wellness check.
So far, it's worked fine.
Having said that, if we had it to do again, we would NOT have allowed her to have a phone at this stage in memory care. She convinced us to get her another phone after her original smart phone died, saying she would like to stay in touch with family and friends. But instead? Her constant texting is brutal (and yes, we even block her for periods of time for our own mental health), and she spends a ridiculous amount of time spinning up wild plans to "escape" from the facility and throwing my sister and I under the bus to our other family members. I think having a phone has almost made it worse for our mom because it keeps her from fully plugging in to the activities at the facility. We're waiting for the time when her cognitive and physical abilities will be such that she can no longer operate the phone, and then we'll look forward to deactivating it. Lesson learned.
Plus the sound quality was terrible, I was constantly asking for the caller to repeat what they were saying.... and if there was background noise, forgetaboutit.
I am really surprised the facility your mother is going to does not offer phone jacks for landlines. That should be a must. My Dad had his landline, even when he transferred to Memory Care. He was pretty good regarding calling, mainly once a day. But I have heard cases of a parents calling every few minutes because their memory forgot they had just called.
I've read on this forum where you may be able to set up an Alexa or Google video or voice access where she doesn't have to do anything.
When my 95 yr-old Mom's flip phone broke I got her the Raz Mobility phone. She'd never had a smart phone-type phone before so it took her a while to get used to it. I control everything from an app on my phone:
- who she can call (with pictures of the people)
- who can call her (she can be allowed access to a key pad to dial out if permitted)
- I control how hard she has to press the button to call out
- I control when she can call and when she can receive calls
BUT, it is not an actual smart phone, it just looks like one. So, there's no video calling on it, no internet. She will still need to remember to charge it and I can set reminders that speak out loud to her, but she has to be near it to hear it or read it.
While the facility may not have phone jacks for plug ins I think before doing more research, and wasting money on something soon enough lost, you should speak with the facility about ways to call your mom. I stayed in touch with my brother's ex in his facility after my brother was gone. It amounted to calling the "cottage" at his memory care at stipulated times; phone was handed to him for brief conversation, and that was that.
Another consideration? Seniors who are suffering with dementia, who CAN use phones often become quite problematic, especially if you yourself are working.
If you choose to go ahead, know that RAZmobility.com has a senior cell phone with pictures. Not cheap at about 250.00. There may be others out there I am unaware of and I know this subject frequent comes up. If you go up to the AC timeline and type into the search bar "best phones for seniors" you will see other questions and answers.
And in these matters the internet is your friend; you will find a lot of recommendations of devices for seniors. I wish you best luck in finding just the right option. Hope you will post here if you DO find one, as it's how we learn and help others on this site.