Just like most of the rest of the country, much of the senior population uses cell phones in their daily lives. It is estimated that nearly 70% of Americans 65 and older now own a cell phone. That is just a little less than the 75.5% of the overall population that owns cell phones. This percentage will continue to increase as the baby boom generation ages.

One of the main characteristics seniors appreciate in a cell phone is simplicity of use. A phone with more bells and whistles is not usually going to be the phone of choice for a senior. Because the seniors of today did not grow up with cell phones, they are not usually as comfortable with the technology as the seniors of tomorrow will be.

The top cell phone features that seniors usually look for are the display and the buttons. Since many seniors have diminished vision the display needs to be easy to read, which means larger size and brighter. The buttons also need to be larger. The volume is another feature that is important to seniors. While the volume of both the ringtone and the earpiece are adjustable on all phones, phones made for seniors have higher volume options, so the ringtone and the voice on the phone are easier for people with reduced hearing to hear.

Other cell phone features that are a high priority for seniors may be a GPS and a panic button. A GPS is useful for helping family or caregivers find lost or disoriented seniors if that situation should ever arise. The panic button is another feature that can protect seniors and give caregivers and family members peace of mind. The person with the cell phone would simply push a button to immediately summon help in an emergency situation.

A Caring Heart senior advisors Vancouver, WA see the growth of cell phone use by seniors as a positive trend that will enable seniors to stay more connected to loved ones and other social networks.