Home Care – The Best Smart Phone Features For Seniors

By Jamie Shapiro | August 14, 2023 | Comments Off on Home Care – The Best Smart Phone Features For Seniors
Home Care

Using smartphones is something that seniors may struggle with. However, over the years smartphones have developed a lot of great accessibility features that can really help seniors. With a little extra setup the accessibility features can be easily accessed by seniors. And they can make it much less frustrating for seniors to use their smartphones. Seniors who aren’t sure how to find the accessibility features on their phones should ask a family member for help. Seniors that have home care can also ask their home care provider to help them make the adjustments needed to activate the accessibility features.

Most accessibility features are built into both Android and Apple platforms, so it doesn’t matter if seniors use an iPhone or an Android phone. Both types should have features like:

Voice Activation

Voice activation is a feature that helps seniors who are visually impaired. Seniors can use the phone without having to touch it or type in anything. They won’t have to type in a passcode or enter passwords in order to access their accounts. And the phone will read out text to them rather than force them to try to make out small print. Seniors can also activate their phones and talk to text from anywhere in the room. So if a senior falls down and they have voice activation on their phone they will be able to call for help no matter where they are.

Zoom

Zoom is a built-in magnifier. It makes text much easier to read. Seniors can zoom in on a paragraph or piece of text just by touching it. There are also apps that work like magnifying glasses. When seniors put a menu, books, or other text in front of the camera these apps will magnify that text so that seniors who have diminished visual capacity can read it. Zoom is one of the applications on a smartphone that can help keep seniors safe at home as they get older.

Large Type

Seniors are often frustrated by the small display type on their smartphones, but that is easy to change. In the accessibility settings seniors can choose the size of the type that is easiest for them to see. And they can change the font too. So if the font is difficult to read and the size is too small seniors can change the type to whatever they want.

Limited Motion

Seniors who have balance impairment or who suffer from motion sickness when looking at motion on screen can turn on the limited motion option. That application can make it so that video-based ads aren’t so jarring. And it can slow down videos or block them altogether so that seniors don’t suffer from vertigo when the videos appear on the screen. Limited motion can make it more comfortable for seniors to watch videos, read books, and do other things on their phones. Give some of these accessibility options a try today!

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Buffalo Grove, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.

Jamie Shapiro
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