Best Senior-Friendly Home Phones for 2019

Best landline-style home telephones for 55+ Active Adults and for seniors with dementia

Our customer favorite for dementia, Alzheimer’s and memory care is the Future Call Picture Care Phone. We use two different models extensively at teleCalm; the FC-1007SP with speakerphone and the FC-1007 without speakerphone.

These phones incorporate extra-large number buttons that can also hold a photo of family or friends, so your loved one can simply pick up the phone and press a photo to dial. Photo dialing eliminates the frustration of wrong number dialing and having to remember all 10 digits. There is also a red 911 speed dial button on the top. This 911 button is also programmable, which is perfect for Memory Care where 24-hour help is available right down the hall. There is a convenient volume control that provides over 40dB amplification in the handset. These phones are easy to program and easy to personalize with photos. They do not require any batteries or an external power source. All power comes from the phone line itself. These phones can be purchased on Amazon or leased with teleCalm service for just $5/mo (this is the only phone we offer with our service).

The FC-1007SP is a perfect complement to our Caregiver℠ phone service. This unique service helps caregivers and families cope with repeat dialing, late-night calls, and inappropriate 911 dialing. It also stops all robocalls, telemarketers and scammers.

Our Top Pick for 55+ Active Adults 🏠

AT&T EL52213

Our favorite for 55+ Active Adults is the AT&T EL52213 Expandable Cordless Phone with Answering System.

With this system, you can choose from one, two or three handsets right out of the box and you can add more as needed. Start with model EL52113, EL52213 or EL52313. This AT&T handset has large back-lit numbers so it’s easy to see and dial (especially if your glasses aren’t handy). Each handset has a great speakerphone – so you can set it down in the kitchen and talk while cooking. A large and easy-to-read display makes it easy to view caller-ID. The answering system offers an ability to screen calls from any handset. When the answering machine grabs the call, you can press a button and listen to the message as it’s being recorded. You can choose to interrupt the recording and answer the call or let it go. If you’re not using teleCalm’s Essentials service, you may be getting a fair number of telemarketer or spam calls, so this call screening feature could be a plus.

The AT&T EL52213 is a perfect complement to our Essentials℠ phone service . Essentials automatically blocks bad calls and can notify family if you dial 911. This cost-effective phone service easily moves with you from one home to another.

If your loved one wants photo-dialing convenience but prefers to continue using their own favorite telephone, you can try the Future Call Picture Dialer Box FC-2409-2. This allows you to press the photo and dial the number while using any other phone. This easy-to-install dialer gets all of its power from the phone line and also has a built-in speakerphone.

For caregivers looking for help with more advanced disease stages, perhaps a no-dial telephone would be the perfect solution. These types of phones do not have any dial pads and allow for incoming calls only. While there are various models available, a more traditional style can be more recognizable for certain stages of Alzheimer’s. Click to shop for an example Corded Black No Dial Telephone.

AT&T EL51203 Cordless Phone

If you don’t need an answering machine, then the AT&T EL51203 Cordless Phone with up to 5 handsets is the best choice. It has all the great features of the EL52213 listed above, but without the answering machine. This phone can usually be found under $40.

This model can also be a great choice for caregivers looking for a straight-forward cordless phone for their loved one.

AT&T CD4930 Corded Phone

If a corded phone works better for you, we suggest the AT&T CD4930 Corded Phone with Answering System.

This telephone has a large and convenient dial pad, plus an extra-large display making it extra easy to read the caller-id display. This phone is hearing aid compatible with an Audio Assist button to boost the active call, and includes an equalizer to allow you to fine-tune the audio to your specific needs. These features alone make it perfect for those with hearing and visual impairments. The built-in answering machine is very easy to use and also supports the call screening functionality like the EL52213 cordless phone model described above. With over 2,600 reviews on Amazon and over 75% of those being 4 and 5 stars, you can’t go wrong with this well-made telephone. The CD4930 is black, so if you prefer white then try the AT&T CL4940 Corded Phone.

AT&T CL2940 Corded Phone

If you prefer a corded phone but don’t need the answering machine, AT&T’s CL2940 Corded Phone will certainly do the job. This model offers the same extra-large display and large dial pad as the CD4930, plus convenient volume control and Audio Assist.

AT&T 1740WH Digital Answering Machine

If you just need a really easy-to-use answering machine, we suggest the AT&T 1740WH Digital Answering System. This is the #1 Best Seller on Amazon and is easy to find under $20.

AT&T 210 Trimline

Perhaps you don’t want anything fancy, just a great reliable telephone that doesn’t take up a lot of space. Well, we all remember the good old Trimline^® phone from many years ago. Surprise! AT&T is still making them, and they’re easy to find under $15. The AT&T 210 Trimline phone is available in both White and Black.