- There are many ways to make smartphone use easier for an elderly person.
- Some simple changes include increasing the text size, enlarging the keyboard, and configuring the lock screen.
- Here are seven ways to optimize iPhone and Android for elderly users.
Not everyone is comfortable with technology, and whether it’s the short text, the complexity of the user interface (UI), or simply that the interface tends to change with every new OS update, elderly users are often less likely to use a smartphone. are less comfortable.
However, smartphone makers keep older users in mind, so you can accommodate your parent’s or grandparent’s needs with a few easy changes. Here are seven ways to make buying an iPhone or Android phone easier for the elderly.
make text more readable
As we get older, it becomes difficult to read small text. To solve that problem, both iPhones and Android phones let you change the size of the screen text.
On an iPhone, Start Adjustment app and then tap easy use, tap Display and text size Not only to configure text size (via) big text options), but also make text bold, increase contrast, and many other readability settings.
For older users who have trouble reading the screen, you can make the text bigger and bolder. dave johnson
For Android, get started Adjustment app and tap easy use, then tap text and display To set the text size, make text bold, enable high-contrast mode, and more.
Enlarge the on-screen keyboard
As with on-screen text, you may need to enlarge the keyboard for readability.
On iPhone, Start Adjustment app and select performance and brightness, tap Opinion and then choose zoomed in, This one is something for two; This not only enlarges the keyboard, but also makes most other UI elements, such as buttons and controls, somewhat larger.
For Android users, start any app that uses the keyboard so that you can see the keyboard on the screen. tap Adjustment Icon (gear-shaped) above the keyboard. tap LikeThen keyboard height, choose an option like mid tall, longeither extra long,
You can enlarge the keyboard keys to make them easier targets for elderly fingers. dave johnson
configure lock screen
If you’re setting up the phone for older users, you might want to skip the passcode and leave the phone unlocked for the sake of simplicity. The risk of data theft is simply too great, though, so do the next best thing: set up a lock screen using both biometric (fingerprint or facial recognition) and a four-digital passcode you trust they’re able to remember. Will be
On iPhone, Start Adjustment app, then tap Face ID and Passcode To add Face ID, Touch ID or Passcode.
Don’t be tempted to leave the phone unlocked for older users. dave johnson
For Android users, get started Adjustment app, then tap Security After screen lock, Avoid setting long passcodes or using patterns, which can be difficult for some elderly people to remember.
organize home screen
No matter what smartphone champion you are, you have to admit that the number of apps installed on the average phone can be overwhelming. And without stereotyping older users, it’s fair to say that most don’t need as many apps. That means you can help your elderly user by organizing the home screen with the most important apps they regularly use, and you can put just a few apps on each page, organized by category.
Both the iPhone and Android let you organize apps by dragging them around the screen, and you can delete what you don’t think will be of much use without deleting them, so they’re still installed if you need them later. On iPhone, tap and hold the app icon until everything starts to vibrate. tap subtraction sign and then choose remove from home screen, For Android, tap and hold an app icon until the edit page appears, then drag the icon to Remove button at the top of the screen.
You can remove apps to clutter the screen without uninstalling them. dave johnson
set favorite
For many elderly users, the less time they have to spend finding things on the phone, the better so be sure to pin voice calls and texting favorites.
On the iPhone, you can pin the most important contacts in the Messages app to the top of the app by starting Messages and then tapping the three-dot icon at the top of the screen. tap edit pin and then tap on yellow pin Icon to add a name at the top. To pin a contact to the Phone app’s Favorites page, start phone and go favorite tab. tap plus At the top of the screen, then find the person you want to favorite in the Contacts list.
You can pin important contacts to the top of the Messages screen. dave johnson
To pin a contact to the top of the Messages app on Android, start messages Tap and hold the app and then the conversation you want to pin. tap pin icon at the top of the screen. You can also favorite in Phone: Start phone app and tap favorite, tap add Add entries to the top of the screen and from the Contacts list.
Set custom ringtone for special callers
If you want to help an older user differentiate important calls, such as health care providers or family members, you can change the ringtone for specific contacts.
On iPhone, Start Contact Tap the app and then the one you want to customize. tap edit and then tap Ringtone, You can specify any ringtone you like.
The process is similar for Android. Start Contact app and tap the person you want to edit. tap Three point menu on the top right and select set ringtone from the dropdown menu.
Set custom ringtones for important contacts. dave johnson
Make it easy to get emergency and medical information
Apple and Google both make it easy to add medical and emergency information to your phone, which can be important if emergency responders need to know the medical details of an elderly person in a hurry.
On the iPhone, you can find this information on the Lock screen by tapping emergencyThen medical id, To actually fill in these details, start Health app and tap on the user profile photo in the top right. tap medical id and then tap either get started either edit To add or update your information.
You can set custom health and emergency contact information for the lock screen in the Health app. dave johnson
To get emergency information on an Android phone, open the Lock screen and tap emergency call, Then, on the Call screen, tap view emergency information, To complete these emergency details, tap Adjustment app, then security and emergency, Here you will find sections for medical information, Emergency Contacteven more.
dave johnson
freelance writer
