Simple and easy to use phone?

[maddywest]

Hi, can anyone recommend the world's simplest mobile phone for my Mum? She currently has a Doro 1360 but is struggling - she has some trouble negotiating the menus and remembering the difference between pressing the button under 'ok' or 'back' and pressing the arrows to go up and down menus. She also can't get the hang of reading text messages, and definitely not sending them!.

Is there such a thing as a really simple and incredibly easy to use touch screen phone which just does phone calls and texts? With large qwerty-style buttons for texting rather than tiny letters that you have to press 2 or three times? And no confusing apps. The Doro smartphones seem to get very mixed reviews, I'd be very grateful for any personal recommendations. I'd love to be able to send her little messages when I think of something small she'd like.

Thanks!

I bought my Dad (79) a Samsung Galaxy S3 as I thought a simple Android would be OK for him.

It's not.

It's the bane of my chuffing life, to be honest, and I've seriously considered breaking it. I got it him mainly so he could be on the family WhatsApp group and he's fine on that, but he gets trying to do all sorts on it even though he has a laptop and I spend at least 15 minutes a day on the phone to him when he's done something on it. His fingers are just too awkward on the touch screen and I swear he could get a job for Samsung as a re-programmer .

That sounds mean, and I do love him to bits, but OMG that phone..........

perhaps she would get along with the maxcom 5? its designed for the elderly and so has an easy to use layout

Yes Lizzie, I have found that what seems simple is really not!

Sleep - I had noticed the maxcom 5 in one of the slightly dodgy-looking catalogues of gadgets that Mum gets sent. Have you seen one in action at all? Some of the things she has ordered from that kind of place in the past have been absolute rubbish, so I'm a bit wary. I wonder if it is sold in any actual shops where we could go and have a look?

maddywest- i have only heard of it from a friend, who bought their dad it for xmas. he doesn't seem to have any issues with it, but maybe you are right to be wary, as my mum receives those catalouges too and the stuff in there is usually rubbish. my mum uses a doro, and my dad uses a samsung with easy mode switched on.

My DM also had the Doro one. I wrote the simplest of instructions down for her complete with illustrations but she still couldn’t cope with it. My advice? Find a phone that looks as much like the old fashioned dial ones as possible. Don’t try touch screens - that will be a step into another universe for her!