America's population of senior citizens is expected to double by 2030 to 71 million,.  Between 2000 and 2030, the number of Americans 65 or older will increase from 35 million to 71 million, or from 12.4 percent to nearly 20 percent of the population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Worldwide, the number of senior citizens is projected to more than double by 2030, from 420 million to 973 million.
       Hello Cell phone companies out there?  Is anybody listening?  Frankly, I doubt that cellular providers are because I can't seem to find a cell phone from the major carriers that I can use.  And I'm only 55! 

Ask yourself, marketing gurus, can I see the buttons, let alone push them? No.  Do I really want to fiddle around for hours downloading ring tones? No. Truth is, the phone choice for seniors is absent to abysmal. My friends feel the same way and there is no doubt in my mind that it is not just seniors who would appreciate a bit of design simplicity.

This is what I want in a cell phone and I am willing to pay for it:
Minimal features:  On, off, volume, a large LCD, large keys and  mailbox button.  Room for a few favorite contacts and an emergency button.  No camera please, and no GPS.  One ring tone will do, thank you, preferably not in the high range where hearing is lost first.

A quick search of the Internet on my part yielded a few great land line phones for seniors (Check out First Street for the Jitterbug and the VermontCountryStore.com for a phone with large buttons and an amplified corded phone that makes voices clearer and louder).  But for cell phones?  Just try finding a simple elegant phone at your cellular company.  One exception is the Jitterbug. The phone is a great value and the plans are varied and fairly priced. And, get this:  to get the operator, dial "O." 

The truth is, at my age, I know that my time is valuable.  I wish the big companies, with all their marketing expertise could get the message.   Thanks for visiting!   LH

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