Dear "Me",  my grandson had one at one time that he could say the name and
it would call.  I'll try to find out what kind it was this afternoon or
tonight when he's home from work.  Don't know whether it was easy to hold or
not.
Gwen

Two ideas come to mind...

The first thing you might try is going to the customer support site (or phone
number) for one of the cell phone companies (Cingular, Verizon, etc.) and tell
them that you are interested in getting a cell phone BUT there are certain
features you MUST have due to health problems. Tell them you are trying several
companies and will get a phone from the one which has what you need. I wouldn't
try going to one of the stores, as the clerks I've seen don't seem to know most
of what they have in stock, let alone what they might have to order. Many of
the newer phones have voice dialing. You push a button and, when prompted, you
say "call" and wait for it to ask you for "name or number" and you either say a
name in your on-board phone book or say the numbers you want it to dial. Some
are also speaker-phones, so you don't have to hold it against your ear (as long
as the ambient noise isn't to loud).

The other thing you might want to consider is one of those phones designed for
young children. They can only dial a few preset numbers, but are light and
fairly simple to handle. One of these might work for you if you know which
numbers you will dial in an emergency (a family member, 911, etc.).

You also might want to contact some of the cell phone manufacturers and ask
their customer service if they make anything which might work for you.

Good Luck
Norman

All cell phones can be used to call 911 without being on a plan. You can
find one at a thrift store or a yard sale and it will cost nothing to
use. All you need is a charged battery.

Cheers           Lee O.