Help in finding a phone for a relative - really stupid question

Hannibal_Smith

I'm looking for help with phone recommendations for an elderly relative. They cannot get to grips with your standard android phone so it has to be very basic. To be fair when it comes to phone specifications I'm not much better!

The whole point of it is to add them to the family WhatsApps, which I get most of us dread but they feel they're missing out. So much so they are willing to take the leap and part with their 20 year old Nokia, so my head is on the chopping block if they go through with a changeover but the phone doesn't do what we'd hoped! Problem is, and I feel so stupid asking but I don't know what to look for to make sure you can get WhatsApp on a phone and use it fully to see photos, videos and messages etc. 🫢

What do I look for? 🙃

thebiglad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058419534/help-in-finding-a-phone-for-a-relative-really-stupid-question

My concern is, you state they cannot get to grips with the 'standard' android phone - as most Android phones work on the exact same principle - a landing screen with a grid of apps - I cannot see an alternative solution to operate what's App - recently did the same for an elderly relative, despite much effort by the whole family, phone is now unused - she was unable to operate a button phone any longer.

We tried, to set up the home screen with What's app only so, there was no additional confusion when opening the phone but, even with that… It might be a solution for you, make the phone effectively what's app only and move all the installed apps back a couple of screens.

Any basic android phone will operate What's App and allow them to view photos/videos.

Hannibal_Smith

I'm so thick, that never occurred to me! I was looking at those doro phones, which are really expensive it has to be said, but said they were for senior users but couldn't see how you'd get WhatsApp on them ☺️

Like you say, maybe it's as simple as a smartphone but having the home screen basic.

Thank you so much!

Buffman

A lot of the Androids have a 'simple' or 'easy' mode which they can be set to, makes it a bit easier. And the apps and screens can be locked in position so no accidental moving or deleting.

No real need to buy anything new for now IMO, I'd guess like most families someone has an 'old' perfectly fine spare around.

I've been through the process a few times, and if the person isn't tech savvy you do need plenty of time and patience.

I normally try to give them the phone without SIM or any connectivity and say to them to play around in their own time and there's nothing 'bad' they can do as it's not connected. (I know possible accidental emergency calls are still possible but I don't mention that so not too spook them.)

If that goes well, I'll get them going on WhatsApp on the WiFi and leave them with their old phone still working as normal as a backup for a while. (Obviously telling them that WhatsApp will only work on the WiFi when they're in one of the houses.)

Then the final goal is to ideally get them working on one phone when they're happy to do so. In one case that took over 2 years of the 2 phone strategy as even when she was well able to use WhatsApp she didn't want to fully switch, but got there eventually when the dumb phone speaker died.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123632400#Comment_123632400

great approach, should work, modern phones are a nightmare, wont be long and only toddlers will be the only ones able to use them!

Hannibal_Smith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123632400#Comment_123632400

Super idea to use the 'new' one on the WiFi while still having the old one in use. That should take the fear out of it. I had no idea about a simple or easy mode either. Thank you so much!

GIMP

An alternative would be buy a cheap tablet, use that for WhatsApp, leaving the Nokia for calls, best of both worlds

Hannibal_Smith

That is true. Don't laugh...but can I load WhatsApp to a tablet without a phone number? 🫣 I did it with my own tablet and had to get a code or something from my phone iirc.