Seniors are becoming more tech-savvy due to their desire to stay connected with loved ones. Technological innovations have allowed seniors to get their news online with just a few clicks. Seniors now appreciate the utility and importance of their smartphones; hence it’s commonplace in this day and age for seniors to own the latest smartphone models. Smartphones also help seniors gain access to medical help and assistance and enable them to do more things on their own. 

Smartphones have indeed become an important part of a senior’s daily life. To fully optimise the use of their smartphones, seniors need a few essentials integrated into their smartphone experience. If you are a senior or if you have a senior loved one, here are a few smartphone accessories and enhancements that you may want to seriously consider adding onto your smartphone use. 

• Enlarged Screen Display

Visual acuity issues are common among seniors. Ageing brings about reduced sharpness of vision, so it’s not surprising to hear about seniors complaining about the text display on their smartphones blurry or too small to read. What you need to do is to change the screen size display on their phones. For iPhones, simply go to settings and adjust the display, brightness and display zoom options. Enlarging the iPhone texts and icons will help seniors read messages and view images on their smartphones. 

• Save Favourite and Emergency Contacts 

To make it easier for a senior loved one to communicate with their nearest and dearest, we highly recommend configuring their favourite contact list. In this way, your senior parent or grandparent will be able to get a hold of you and other important contacts whenever they need or please. Open the Phone app and select Favourites. Simply tap the + icon located at the top left corner of the screen to bring the full list of his or her contacts. Choose all important contacts of your senior loved one and let him or her know how to access them with a few simple taps on the screen. 

• Download Important and Commonly Used Apps

One of the most common complaints among seniors is their inability to optimise the use of their smartphones. Not only are these devices for communicating with their loved ones, but are a crucial tool for safety, medical, emergency, and entertainment purposes. Download messaging and social media apps that will be helpful in connecting with family and friends. There are many useful apps that will help them manage their day-to-day activities such as medication reminder apps, Facebook app and messenger, Skype, Zoom, online pharmacy shops, blood pressure monitoring app, dictation app, personal safety app, and other entertainment apps. You may also download games that are popular among seniors such as words with friends, bingo, and many more. 

• Enable Siri

Siri is an extremely useful tool for seniors who have vision problems. This tool will enable them to use their phones by simple speech commands; hence making their search experience easier and faster, too. You can teach your senior loved one the most common commands for Siri such as calling, messaging, and FaceTime. 

To enable Siri, simply open the iPhone settings then tap Siri and Search. Press Listen for “Hey Siri” and ask your parent or grandparent to respond to a few commands. This is a procedure needed so that the smartphone will grow accustomed to his or her voice. After this, teach your senior loved one how to activate Siri via voice command. 

Another alternative is Amazon’s Alexa that can be installed on Amazon devices. Alexa is just as helpful as Siri in enabling them to accomplish day-to-day tasks. Another voice-enabled tool that you can install for seniors is Amazon Echo, a smart speaker that can play music, create lists, and turn on and off smart-enabled appliances around the house. 

• Customize your phone with Useful Smartphone Accessories

The right type of accessories can make smartphones more senior friendly. For instance, a phone grip will make it easier for them to hold onto their phones, while a durable phone case can help protect their phones from accident slip and fall. With a smartphone corded holder, seniors can easily access their phone with style. 

Here are a few elegant phone cords that are extremely popular among seniors:

• Midnight Sky phone cord consists of a built-in phone case with crossbody phone cord. Instead of carrying a bulk bag with them, seniors can simply wear this phone accessory like a phone necklace or phone bag. This eco-friendly phone cord is made from eco-friendly and biodegradable materials and an adjustable phone belt that can be detached when not in use. Seniors can wear the Midnight Sky in two ways, making it a stylish accessory to wear for casual and even formal occasions. The metal hooks are secured in place easily, so you don’t have to worry about complicated set-ups or installations. The phone belt can be adjusted based on the comfort level of its users. 

• Fresh Cotton “Oh My Orchid'' Phone Cord features both elegant aesthetic and functionality among its users. It’s a wearable phone accessory made from sustainable materials and a detachable phone strap, so seniors don’t have to worry about accidentally losing or dropping their phones. You can choose from a wide range of colour rope and pattern to suit your style and personality. The Oh My Orchid Phone Cord also includes a sleek phone cover that gives your phone a non-slipper finish. 

• Bergamot Pearl Phone Chain is perfect for social seniors. If your loved one is always out attending events or simply visiting loved ones, this phone chain with pearls will add much class and elegance to their look. The pearl phone chain is made from exquisite Off-white faux pearls that are perfect when wearing a dress for formal occasions.  This simple and inexpensive accessory will definitely elevate their wardrobe while ensuring that their smartphones are within reach at all times.

Louve Collection is committed to keeping the young and the old keep up with technology through fashionable and functional smartphone accessories. Check out our fun and dazzling phone cords, phone cases, and phone accessories here. For other enquiries, you may send us your message at  infolouvecollection@gmail.com.