My MIL has Alzheimers and it’s still able to live independently at this time. She has an LG smart phone but will soon need a new cellphone because this one is on its last leg. The dilemma. is, she only remembers how to use this phone and it was a doozy teaching her how to use it 4 years ago. She is also starting to fall for clicking on scam text links. She had been really good about not clicking links up until recently.
We’re trying to find a basic smart phone, but not one that is restricted to only making/receiving phone calls to set contacts like this one. (https://www.alzstore.com/RAZ-Memory-Cell-Phone-for-Seniors-All-Carriers-p/0039-v.htm)
Ideally, we would like something that, whether with the settings or parental controls, she can only receive calls and text from her contacts and vice versa plus basic smart phone features. She is very dependent on the alarms she has set up. She still likes to Google things and watch YouTube. We’re not concerned about her Internet browsing/purchasing as she does not have access to her debit card or bank info. We make sure she has anything she ever needs.
Basically, what’s the most simple smart phone with all the basic features with contact only call and texting?
I know it feels hard and sad but I would come up with something else, like an iPad with no internet but lots of games and maybe movies and documentaries about the things she loves. If she has ALZ then she will be able to watch them over and over (my Aunt did this). This will be a lot less work and stress than having to monitor her online activity and finding lots of porn and other inappropriate stuff in her browsing history. Once she goes to that type of site, then she will be flooded with all sorts of pop-ups and ads of similar content.
I ordered a $12 runner's neoprene phone belt on amazon so she can have it on her and access it easier when she's out in her yard gardening. In the past she has twice fallen and because she was able to get to her phone, it was only a minor incident.
I also gave my Mom my iPad that has games on it. Also no data plan. If you allow someone with ALZ to browse the internet you are asking for trouble. There's a lot of disgusting stuff that one can accidentally click on. Dark, negative, scary things that someone with ALZ does not need to ever be exposed to. Not worth the risk, IMHO.
Her progression is currently slow and has been fairly stable for the past two years so we’re not quite ready to remove her internet access as she loves to look up info about musicians, actors, birds, and flowers. We try to allow for as much freedom and independence as we can while keeping her safe. We take things day by day and take care of issue as they arise.
We would like to keep texting as we all texts back and forth daily. Having the text records has been great because she can refer back to know if she already asked for something or we answered a question, etc.