Best Cell Phones for Seniors With Dementia in 2025

Cost: $99.99 when purchased from Lively

The word “Jitterbug” is synonymous with cell phones that are easy to use, and the Jitterbug Flip2 excels in this regard. With large tactile buttons and optional urgent response features, this phone is a great option for users with dementia.

I appreciated the user-friendly design of this phone, particularly the list-based navigation, which made it easier to find contacts, make calls, and utilize voice commands. When reading small print, I was able to use the magnifier feature on the phone to enlarge text on my screen. If you’re an older adult with both dementia and hearing loss, this phone may be a good choice because it’s hearing aid compatible and comes with a powerful speaker to hear clearly.

With Jitterbug’s health and safety features, the Jitterbug Flip2 can also work as a medical alert device for users with dementia. On the bottom of this phone, we could press the red urgent response button to be quickly connected with help. In our tests of this feature, we were connected to a response agent in an average of 15 seconds, putting the Jitterbug’s response time on par with those of our favorite medical alert systems.

>> Read more: The Best Medical Alert Systems of 2025

The Jitterbug Flip2 also supports an app for caregivers, Lively Link. With this app, a loved one can track the location of a user’s phone and receive a real-time alert when their loved one presses the Urgent Response button.

The Jitterbug Flip2 costs $99.99. Unlike other phones on this list, it is compatible with only one network, Lively. Luckily, Lively offers plans with unlimited talk and text for $19.99 per month, making it one of the most affordable cellular carriers.

To learn more about its plans and pricing, read our full guide to Jitterbug phones and plans.

The biggest drawback to the Jitterbug Flip2 is its higher cost for urgent response features. While these features performed well in our tests, adding urgent response and the Lively Link app will cost an extra $20 per month. That said, this is still cheaper than even the most affordable medical alert systems.

Simple, safe, and under $100, the Jitterbug Flip2 is a great option for those with dementia or looking for a classic flip phone that’s easy to use. To learn more about this phone, read our full Jitterbug Flip2 review.

Cost: $349 when purchased through RAZ Mobility

Designed specifically to assist those with dementia, the RAZ Memory Cell Phone offers a highly simplified and visual mobile experience. It also offers a detailed caregiver portal that makes it easy for loved ones to stay in the loop.

When we first unboxed the Memory Cell Phone, we were surprised to find that it looked like a typical smartphone, its 6.5-inch touch screen occupying the entirety of the phone’s face. However, once we powered on the phone, we found a highly simplified menu that featured large photo icons for our six preinstalled contacts as well as a dedicated button for 911.

The unique feature of this phone is that this home screen is the only menu. There is no option to open the camera, navigate to settings, or activate a web browser. This means that all we could do with the phone was call one of our contacts or dial 911, which we could accomplish by pressing the corresponding button and holding it for three seconds. While this highly limited feature set might be restrictive for some, we think that it would be ideal for users with cognitive impairments. Unlike the other phones on this list, it was impossible to get lost in endless menus and features on the Memory Cell Phone.

That said, with the Memory Cell Phone, we could still add contacts, adjust the phone’s volume, and even enable a dial pad option — allowing the user to make calls to any number — through the RAZ caregiver portal. With this online portal, we could remotely modify features of the Memory Cell Phone. For example, in the portal, when we added contact information for our editor-in-chief, Amie Clark, her photo icon then appeared on the Memory Cell Phone’s home screen. The other settings worked in a similar fashion.

The RAZ Memory Cell Phone costs $349, and it’s compatible with most major networks, including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. With our purchase, RAZ Mobility also included a SIM card with three free months of Mint Mobile service.

>> Read more: Mint Mobile Senior Phone Plans

The biggest drawback of this phone is its price. At $349, the Memory Cell Phone is one of the more expensive options on this list. If you’re looking for a different simplified smartphone, then we’d recommend checking out the Jitterbug Smart4, detailed below. While a bit more complicated, the Jitterbug Smart4 also features web browsing, voice commands, and app store compatibility.

No other phone on this list is made specifically for users with dementia, and while the Memory Cell Phone’s design might be too simplified for some, we think that it’s the ideal solution for people with cognitive impairments.

To learn more about our experience with this phone, read our full RAZ Memory Cell Phone review.

Cost: $69 when purchased from Consumer Cellular

Coming in at just under $70, the Iris Flip is the most affordable phone on this list, and in our tests, it impressed us with its smart features, which go beyond the traditional fare of flip phones.

>>Read more: The Best Flip Phones for Seniors

Pricing aside, what really stood out to us about the Iris Flip is its simplicity. Making calls, sending text messages, and even browsing the web are all easy to accomplish with this phone. Making things even easier is the addition of Google Assistant.

To activate Google Assistant with this phone, we held down its shoulder button. Then, we could ask it to open apps, run a web search, or answer basic questions. For example, after asking how many tablespoons were in a cup, our Iris Flip replied, “There are 16 tablespoons in a cup.” Similarly, when we asked Google Assistant to tell us some nearby grocery stores, it performed a Google search for our query and presented us with several nearby supermarkets.

Google Assistant can also be used to dictate text messages. Within the messaging app, we held down the shoulder button and spoke. From our speech, Google Assistant transcribed our words into messages. This method was definitely preferable to typing out messages on the alphanumeric keypad.

While the Iris Flip can be used on several networks, we recommend opting for one of Consumer Cellular’s plans. Not only does Consumer Cellular sell this phone for $69, but it also offers unlimited talk and text plans for $20 per month. Additional lines cost only $15 each, making this carrier a great option for families.

>>Read more: Our Hands-on Consumer Cellular Review

With the Iris Flip, we had access to the KaiOS app store, similar to other modern flip phones, like the Alcatel Go Flip; however, unlike Alcatel’s flip phone, the Iris Flip does not support popular apps like Facebook and WhatsApp. Also, the Iris Flip’s sole, rear-facing camera leaves something to be desired. If camera quality and apps are of concern, then we’d recommend the iPhone SE.

If you want a basic flip phone with some useful voice commands for one of the lowest prices on the market, then the Iris Flip is likely the way to go. To learn more about this phone, read our full Iris Flip review.

Cost: $399 from Consumer Cellular

You might be surprised to find an iPhone on this list; however, through its wide range of voice commands and surprisingly intuitive controls, we think the iPhone SE is a great option for someone with dementia. Additionally, with the newly released feature, Assistive Access, we could drastically simplify the features of our iPhone SE, making it even easier to use.

>>Read more: How to Set Up iPhone Assistive Access

If the traditional iPhone layout seems a bit complicated for your loved one, then we recommend checking out Assistive Access mode. With this feature enabled, you can enlarge the icons on your home screen, limit which apps a user has access to, and simplify the layouts of popular apps like Camera, Messages, and Calls. The result is the same high-powered iPhone SE that we all know and love, with drastically streamlined controls.

Elsewhere, we appreciated Siri voice commands. With Siri enabled, we could perform various tasks (opening apps, dictating messages, running web searches) just by using our voice. Another useful feature of Siri is setting reminders. This is useful for a loved one wishing to set reminders for medications, appointments, or other important events.

In the realm of accessibility and cognitive support, the iPhone SE demonstrates not only technological prowess, but also a commitment to inclusivity. It stands as a testament to how thoughtful design and innovative features can enhance the quality of life for individuals navigating the complexities of dementia.

The iPhone SE is available on literally every network; however, we’d recommend purchasing the phone from and using it with Consumer Cellular. For a plan with unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 1 GB of data, you can expect to pay $20 per month, and there is no long-term contract required.

The primary drawback of the iPhone SE is its potentially complicated controls. Even with Assistive Access mode enabled, some users might struggle with this device. If you’re looking for a simpler smartphone option — one that also supports video calls — then we’d recommend the Jitterbug Smart4.

Deceptively simple with advanced cameras and voice commands, the iPhone SE might be the ideal choice for those unafraid of a slight learning curve. To learn more about our favorite iPhones, read our rundown of the best iPhones for seniors.

Cost: $149.99 when purchased from Lively

While the Jitterbug Smart4 is a full-fledged Android phone, it features a simplified menu system that makes it easy for anyone to pick up and use. Much like the Jitterbug Flip2, it also features some optional safety features.

My experience with the Jitterbug Smart4 was marked by its advanced features combined with a streamlined design. The phone’s interface, adorned with large icons and straightforward menus, provided an intuitive navigation experience. For someone with dementia, the simplified design makes it much easier to navigate this phone’s plentiful features.

While the Jitterbug Smart4 can do anything an Android phone can (including the advanced voice commands of Google Assistant), its video calling capabilities are what struck us as particularly useful. With the Smart4’s 8 MP front-facing camera, we were able to have numerous video chats with loved ones with minimal hiccups — a first for Jitterbug phones.

The optional urgent response features, powered by Lively, are another standout aspect. The dedicated urgent response button on the bottom of the touch screen offers peace of mind, connecting us quickly to monitoring agents in our test emergency calls. This added layer of safety is ideal for users who live alone.

>>Read more: Lively Medical Alert Review

The Jitterbug Smart4 is available only on Lively’s network. Luckily, plans with unlimited talk, unlimited text, and 1 GB of data start at $24.99 per month. As with the Flip2, urgent response features cost an extra $20 per month.

The biggest drawback to this phone is the high cost of data. While 1 GB of data with Lively costs only $5 per month, this is hardly enough data to stream an entire movie. Additionally, Lively charges $0.10 per MB of data used over your monthly allowance.

While Lively does offer an unlimited plan for $30 per month (bringing your total cost to $49.99 per month with talk and text), this plan is not truly unlimited, as Lively will throttle your high-speed data after you use 20 GB in a given month.

To learn more about our experience with these plans, read our Lively Jitterbug phones review.

For a simple smartphone that costs under $200, there is hardly a better option than the Jitterbug Smart4. To learn more about our experience using this phone, read our full Jitterbug Smart4 review.