cell phone for senior citizen

The mutual thread offered through many of the days speakers was that retirees and other older users are not as much challenged by a deficiency of technical know-how as they may be discouraged by devices and Web sites that fail to account for their changing needs.

Yet, from something as uncomplicated as a Web browser that enlarges text to account for damaged eyesight, to in-home monitoring systems that can notify health personnel in case of emergency, the professionals agreed that many technologies are being brought to market that can help seniors live, work and calculate more without difficultly.

The sudden advancement of the Baby Boomer set, and in a larger sense, the aging populations of many nations universal, leave demand that technology providers begin examining their options for adjusting their products and services to meet those users demands, said Frances West, director of worldwide accessibility at IBM in Armonk, N.Y.

"We all know that this aging wave is coming at us and wonder if were ready," "Information technology is not one size fits all and we need to understand that better if were going to encourage people to adopt our products on a wider scale."

The application, which currently works with the Mozilla Foundations open-source Firefox browser, allows users to customize the size and color of Web content, have text read aloud at different speeds by the computer, or assign sounds to the completion of various types of online tasks.

Another of IBMs creations, dubbed WebAdapt2Me, lets users heighten the readability of Web pages by reducing visual clutter and making browsers, computer mice and keyboards easier to use by decreasing their physical sensitivity.

A study shows that providers often come up short on HIPAA compliance.

By taking some of the technologies built within IBM to help hearing- or sight-impaired workers do their jobs, West said, she believes the company can have a significant impact on tools built for older people.

"Its more than just ease of use that needs to be addressed, there needs to be a design relationship that gives Web sites the skill to know users preferences and correct for age-related issues, "The aging issue will become a huge focus area, and it will take many people coming together to help solve it."

Another issue facing the aging population is the expanding career outlook, as social security requirements get pushed back and employers offer fewer guaranteed pensions.

Despite the availability and simple approach of some of the new tools, most experts agreed that too few companies are helping their older workers, who are increasingly eschewing the standard retirement age of 60, keep up with technological change.

human resources firm focused on the "elderly workforce," businesses must begin to devote more time and preparation to serving older employees make use of technology, or risk losing some of their most experienced and essential workers.

While the reality of the rapidly changing digital workplace has in fact made it easier in some ways for older workers to keep up with their younger counterparts, she said, companies must ensure that the most experienced employees arent feeling left behind.

The need for such programs becomes even clearer thinking the fact that some 27 percent of the U.S. workforce will be over age 50 by 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Based on information from the U.S. Census Bureau, some 4.6 million workers will be at least 65 ahead the end of 2005.

"The IT-enabled universe has driven an increasing focus on outcomes, which helps defeat some stereotypes and keep older workers employed longer, but only a few of the most amazing companies are actively doing things to keep older workers around," "Common wisdom says that companies should encourage mature workers to retire, but thats changing and that attitude is considered more discriminatory, and bad for business."

There are phones for seniors out there, but sorry to say it's a rather underexplored market in the industry. Obviously you want one that's easy to use, without the extraneous features that most cell phones have these days (no text messaging or cameras, for example). Your best bet would be to seek out the near basic of cell phones that's designed to simply make calls.

You can take a look at our list of favorite basic cell phones for starters, but you should still keep a few pointers in mind when choosing a phone for the senior in your life. Choice a cell phone with large buttons, an easy-to-read screen, and an option to magnify the text font size. Most LG phones have these design features, including the LG LX350 (though it does have a camera as well).

One company has stepped ahead to offer cell phones specifically designed for seniors.

GreatCall, a new MVNO aimed at seniors, was unveiled at CES earlier this year, and one of its first handsets is the Samsung Jitterbug Dial (A120). It has a large and bright keypad and a basic user-friendly design that is very effortless to use. GreatCall besides offers the Samsung Jitterbug OneTouch (A110) that's designed more for emergencies. It has only three buttons, each of which connects to an operator, emergency services, and a programmable contact. www.cellphoneforseniorcitizen.com