The Best Cell Phones for Seniors With Dementia, Tested and Reviewed

Health and Safety Features

A big part of what makes the GrandPad our top tablet for seniors with dementia is its family safety features. The GrandPad Central web portal and mobile app, free with a GrandPad subscription, serves as a closed family network where trusted family members and caregivers are the content administrators. Using the web portal, I could upload pictures and other content, create a “family circle” (where everyone in the family can stay connected), and select safe phone numbers for talking and video chatting. This helps cut down on spam and robocalls for the GrandPad user.

Inviting approved contacts to Consumer Cellular's GrandPad via the GrandPad mobile app

Older adults are often the targets of scams. Knowing loved ones who already struggle with basic day-to-day activities have this extra layer of protection from fraud is comforting for friends, relatives, and caregivers.

» Dive Deeper: Consumer Cellular Phone Plans and Pricing

My grandma felt that this made the device a bit limiting, since she could access only a handful of websites and make calls to preapproved contacts. But we agreed that it’s a great feature for older adults who may struggle to remember names, faces, and phone numbers.

The GrandPad doesn’t have its own emergency alert system, but it has a simple 911 call icon so seniors can connect with emergency services in seconds. The GrandPad also makes it easy to connect with a customer-service agent quickly. This is great for people with dementia who may need help using their device. Consumer Cellular claims that you can reach a GrandPad customer-service agent in less than 12 seconds, so I put it to the test. I tapped the “Help” icon on the GrandPad, and then I clicked “Call Support.” My average wait time was around 10 to 15 seconds. Pretty fast!

Viewing the GrandPad's customer support options

Battery Life

Consumer Cellular claims that the GrandPad battery lasts for up to three days, depending on how you use it. When I just used the GrandPad for basic calling and texting, the battery would last for about 2.5 days. On the other hand, when I used it to watch videos, browse the internet, play games, and make video calls, the average battery life dropped to around 24 hours. The great thing is that you can easily use the GrandPad while it’s in its charging dock. In fact, my grandma preferred watching videos without needing to physically hold the tablet!

Charging Consumer Cellular's GrandPad

The GrandPad is also great for seniors with dementia because it’s easy to turn on and off. There are no buttons to accidentally press while holding the device. Instead, it comes with a cover that puts the GrandPad in standby mode when closed. As soon as you open the cover, the screen comes on and you can use the GrandPad immediately. This makes it simple to pick up and use without needing to remember the process for turning it on or typing in a password.

Camera Quality

The GrandPad has a 5 MP front-facing (selfie) camera and a 5 MP rear-facing camera. I tested the cameras, and although the image quality wasn’t great, it was good enough to produce clear photos and decent videos. What I really liked is that you can easily share videos you take with friends and family with the click of an icon. My grandma had no issue figuring out how to take a photo and send it to my phone.

Taking photos on the GrandPad from Consumer Cellular

Unfortunately, the GrandPad is pretty bulky. At 12.5 ounces, the tablet is more than twice as heavy as the Jitterbug Flip2 (4.7 ounces). As long as you don’t mind holding up the tablet while you take a photo or record a video, this isn’t much of an issue. If you have difficulty holding heavier objects, you may struggle to use the camera. My grandma didn’t like holding the GrandPad up for more than a few seconds at a time, so this is a drawback if you want to take a lot of pictures.

Watch our video review below to learn more about this tablet for seniors.

Health and Safety Features

Health and safety is where the Jitterbug Smart4 really shines — as long as you’re willing to pay for it! I’m a big fan of Lively’s features that allow the Smart4 to double as a medical alert system. Lively’s phone plans offer a variety of health and safety features. The Smart4’s big, red Urgent Response button gives users instant access to Lively’s certified medical response agents 24/7 in case of an emergency. All I had to do was press the red button and wait to connect with a live agent. Someone on the line was there to ask what I needed in just 15 seconds!

Lively's Urgent Response button is clearly displayed on the home and lock screen

Just keep in mind that you won’t get all of the safety bells and whistles with Lively’s Basic Plan. If health and safety are your main reasons for considering the Smart4, you’ll want to upgrade to the Preferred or Premium plan. The Preferred plan gives you access to 24/7 Urgent Response agents, as well as the Lively Link app. The app lets loved ones track the user and receive immediate notifications if there’s an emergency.

Testing out the Lively Link app's location tracking feature

If you upgrade to the Premium plan, you’ll get both of those features, plus a Care Advocate to help create a personalized care plan for you and an on-call nurse to answer any questions. These features are excellent for seniors with dementia who need multiple ways to receive help if they get lost, feel confused, or even forget when they’re supposed to take their medication.

Battery Life

According to Lively, the Jitterbug Smart4 battery can last for more than 24 hours on a single charge. That’s pretty impressive for a basic smartphone. When my grandma and I tested it, we found it to be pretty accurate. What’s more, if you have your Jitterbug Smart4 in standby mode, the battery can last for up to four days without charging. This is an excellent feature for older adults who may forget to plug in their phone at night.

Camera Quality

Compared to the GrandPad, the camera on the Jitterbug Smart4 offers a lot more bang for your buck. The front-facing camera is 8 MP, while the rear-facing camera is 13 MP. That means you can expect pretty clear photos and videos with either camera. The photos won’t be as high quality as, say, the latest iPhone, but they’re still decent. My grandma and I took multiple photos and videos in high- and low-light environments. We found the image quality to be superior to the photos we took with the Jitterbug Flip2.

Health and Safety Features

The Flip2 has the same health and safety features as the Smart4, including a bright red emergency button. I held down the button, and it connected me with Lively’s Urgent Response Team in around 15 seconds. I could also monitor the phone via the Lively Link app, which shows user location, battery level, and emergency call history. This gave me peace of mind knowing I could locate my loved one if they became lost, disoriented, or wandered off. Just remember that these features are available only with a Preferred or Premium plan.

The Lively Flip keypad and Urgent Response button

Another thing I liked about the Jitterbug Flip2 is the Amazon Alexa feature. Alexa cannot call 911 directly, but the voice assistant can put you in touch with someone who can. That’s what happened when my grandma tested the assistant. It put her through to me so I could help. This is a great addition if you don’t want to spend extra money on one of the higher-tier plans. Amazon Alexa is also great for everyday tasks, such as composing texts or making calls.

» You Might Also Like: Jitterbug Phone Review

Even if you don’t want to use a virtual assistant, the Flip2 makes it easy to get in touch with your favorite contacts via the one-touch speed dial function. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to go into your contacts first and assign a number to the contacts you want to add to your speed dial list. This may require help from a loved one.

Battery Life

Like the Jitterbug Smart4, the Jitterbug Flip2 has an excellent battery that can last up to four days in standby mode. While using the phone, I found that its battery lasted for about 12 hours after pretty heavy use. Since the Flip2 has a lot fewer battery-draining features than the Smart4 (like internet browsing), the battery may last longer than its smartphone counterpart if you don’t use it a ton.

Camera Quality

The Jitterbug Flip2 has a 5 MP front-facing camera and an 8 MP rear-facing camera. Although it is an upgrade on the GrandPad’s camera, I didn’t notice a huge difference in quality. The Jitterbug Flip2 is lightweight and easy to grip, however, making it a breeze to snap pictures and videos. I took some photos inside and outside, and they turned out pretty well. The photos won’t be winning any awards, and they don’t compare to photos taken on some of the best smartphones, but they’re decent!

Photo of my potted flowers taken with Lively's Jitterbug Flip2

Health and Safety Features

The main built-in safety feature of the RAZ Memory Cell Phone is the emergency help button, which calls 911 directly. Or you can change the settings so the help button calls RAZ emergency services. A trained agent who knows that the user has memory loss will answer the call and notify the user’s emergency contacts. This is a great option for those with memory loss who make frequent unnecessary 911 calls. I appreciate that RAZ has options like this!

I found that the Remote Manage feature works much like the GrandPad’s family administrator system, where family members can remotely manage the phone’s settings via a mobile app. I was able to remotely add or delete contacts, check the phone’s battery life, send reminders, track the phone’s location, and even set specific hours when calls can be placed. This last feature is particularly useful for people with a loved one who struggles with sundowning or tends to feel most confused during certain times of day or night.

» Helpful Resource: Alzheimer’s Association Helpline

This phone is intentionally designed to be as simple as possible. That means there won’t be any extra bells and whistles, such as text messaging, internet access, mobile apps, or even voicemails. That may be a drawback for some seniors, but those with dementia will likely welcome the simplicity.

Battery Life

To make the phone a good fit for seniors who are more likely to forget to charge their phone from time to time, the RAZ Memory Cell Phone boasts a long-lasting battery. It can last for up to five days in standby mode, which is better than the Jitterbug Flip2 or Smart4. Additionally, it is designed to last with heavy use. That’s partly because there simply aren’t that many things you can do with the phone. I tested the battery life by making several calls throughout the day. I didn’t receive a low-battery notification until late in the evening! When the phone hit 20 percent battery life, it automatically sent a text alert to my contacts. I’m a big fan of this feature, because it allows loved ones to check in and remind the user to charge the phone if they forget.

Camera Quality

One of the biggest drawbacks of the RAZ Memory Cell Phone is that it can’t take photos. It doesn’t have a camera, so it’s not even an option. A camera may not be a huge deal for some seniors, but taking and sending photos or videos via text or email is a great way to stay in touch with loved ones. If not having a camera is a deal-breaker and you still want a phone with a long battery life, the TCL Classic may be a better option.

Health and Safety Features

Considering the affordable price tag, it’s understandable that the TCL Classic doesn’t have many health and safety features. It’s easy to use, compatible with most hearing aids, and makes it easy to set alarms and personal reminders. Those features, however, pale in comparison to what you get with the Jitterbug Flip2 or Smart4 with Lively’s Premium plan. I would have liked a button to immediately see emergency contacts, or even a voice assistant. But, given the low price point, I can’t complain too much about the phone’s lack of features.

Battery Life

I tested the battery and was happy to see that it could last for about 10 hours of talk time and roughly 15 days in standby mode. This gives seniors more standby battery life than the Jitterbug Flip2 or Smart4. Much like the RAZ Memory Cell Phone, the TCL Classic’s lack of features helps boost the maximum battery life, but at least the TCL Classic lets you text and browse the internet (though the slow internet browsing leaves something to be desired).

Camera Quality

Like the TCL FLIP Go, the TCL Classic has a 2 MP rear-facing camera that delivers subpar results. After taking some photos, I felt that the image quality was not great, but it was largely dependent on the environment. If I took a photo in a well-lit area, for example, I could make out the details just fine. If the lighting was anything less than perfect, the image was blurry or grainy. If you’re more concerned about staying connected than taking photos, however, it won’t be a major concern.

Health and Safety Features

The Snapfon ez4G has some great features for seniors with dementia. The fall detection and siren are lifesavers, especially since people with dementia are at a higher risk of falls. The SOS button makes it easier to get in touch with loved ones and emergency responders, without the need to dial 911. The SOS button is located on the back of the phone, just under the camera. During testing, I found that I liked the placement. It was easy to access, but I wasn’t likely to accidentally press the button.

One drawback is that the SOS button contacts emergency agents only if you upgrade to sosPLUS, which costs an additional $40 per month. I tested the service and was able to get an agent on the line in less than 30 seconds. I also simulated a few falls onto some couch cushions and found the phone accurately detected a fall about 80 percent of the time.

» Useful Guide: Best Medical Alert Systems With Fall Detection

You may be wondering how Snapfon’s medical alert features compare to Lively’s. Lively phones don’t offer fall detection, so Snapfon has a leg up there. Snapfon, however, doesn’t have many of the other health and safety features that Lively offers, such as a care advocate and 24/7 access to an on-call nurse. I’d recommend Snapfon if fall detection is your main concern, but Lively is my top pick if you’re looking for more extensive features.

» Compare Your Options: Lively vs. Snapfon

I like the Snapfon ez4G for many reasons, but I wish it had a bigger screen. Text may be difficult to read for seniors with impaired vision. I also wasn't thrilled to see Snapfon’s monitoring service billed separately. Emergency monitoring may be non-negotiable for older folks with dementia, and that extra $40 per month for sosPLUS is pretty steep.

Battery Life

Snapfon advertises an average talk time of five hours and a standby battery life of 4.5 days. I found the talk-time average to be pretty accurate, but it’s underwhelming compared to most other phones on our list, including the TCL Classic. In my experience, the standby battery life lasted for only about three days on a single charge. That may have been because I received texts and notifications pretty regularly during this time, but it was still a bit disappointing. Despite the mediocre battery life, the Snapfon ez4G still has enough juice to last for a day or two on a single charge if you don’t use it that often.

Camera Quality

The Snapfon ez4G features a 2 MP front-facing camera and a 5 MP rear camera. That means the camera is all right for snapping some photos and videos, but less than impressive for selfies. I took some pretty clear pictures with the regular camera, but all the selfies were fairly low quality. Still, it’s an improvement on the TCL Classic, which has just one 2 MP camera. If you’re looking for a better camera, I’d recommend the GrandPad or Jitterbug Smart4.