Talkin’ ’bout my generation Seniors use cell phones more than ever

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At 82, John Deroche isn’t the typical age of someone who is lost without his cell phone. But that’s exactly how it is.

“If I left home without it, I’d have to go back and get it,” he said. “I wouldn’t be without one.”

A U.S. Cellular customer for about five years, Deroche said he and three of his fishing buddies got their phones around the same time.

“We go fishing a lot,” Deroche said. “We know where each other is all the time.”

The Brewer man said that at first, he was intimidated by the technology, but now finds there’s really nothing to it.

“It’s easy to use now,” he said.

Deroche said he doesn’t have a regular landline at his apartment, and the retired millworker said his cell phone is great for keeping in touch. “I use it all the time,” he said.

Recently the phone came in handy when he had tire troubles with his red Subaru Legacy during a trip to Eddington.

While using a cell phone is second nature to Deroche, U.S. Cellular New England regional sales manager

Gary Hebert said only in the past five years has he seen an increase in the number of people ages 65 and older who use cell phones.

“There’s really a lot of learning going on,” Hebert said.

Not only do the seniors use the phones in emergencies, in many cases they’re also using them to keep in touch with family and friends, and even learning to send text messages, he said.

“Personally, I never thought that would catch on,” Hebert said.

Text messaging aside, Deroche said he never thought he’d see technology reach the point that it has, but admits he likes the original phone he got with his U.S. Cellular contract and doesn’t need any more bells and whistles. He doesn’t even use the phonebook feature on the phone to store numbers.

“I keep ’em all in my head,” he said.

Of the phones sold at U.S. Cellular, the most popular among the older age group are the Kyocera E1000, all the LG brands, and the Samsung U520.

The Samsung has larger numbers that easily can be seen when they light up on the screen.

The Kyocera also features larger numbers than some, and the keys are slightly raised, making them easier to push.

The LGs come in a variety of colors, and the font can be made larger on the screen. It’s also a very basic phone without flashy features such as cameras and Internet access.

“One of the biggest things is when somebody opens up a phone, is what they can view,” Hebert said. “They want big numbers.”

Most of the time, Hebert said, older customers don’t come in by themselves or at all.

“You’ll see their kids come in – young adults,” Hebert said. Often they’ll sign up for a family plan or add a parent to their existing plan because they’re concerned about their parent’s health or just want to be able to contact them at any time.

Hebert used his own mother, who is 77, as an example.

“When I don’t get in contact with her, I get nervous,” he said.

Like most cell phone companies, such as T-Mobil and Unicel, U.S. Cellular offers family plans that allow all members on the plan to have the same contract for one fee and pay-as-you-go or flat minute rates.

“They pay when they use it,” Hebert said.

In the United States, approximately 250 million people have cell phones. Fifty percent of all seniors, considered to be anyone 65 and older, have cell phones. Of those who don’t have service, 10 percent want it. The remaining 40 percent aren’t interested.

“The older generation is sometimes afraid of technology,” Hebert said.

“That’s just nonsense,” Deroche said. “They’re easy to run.”

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