I have mixed feelings on this, but you could be right. My mom is pushing 80. She gets confused with complicated things, so I got her a relatively simple phone. I didn't figure she'd ever use the text messaging, but she and her sister have started text messaging pictures of the great grandchildren to each other. The thing that's tough to find is a simple phone, outside of the iPhone (can't speak to Android.) The reason I didn't get her an iPhone is that she doesn't have a computer for updates and also doesn't have any need for the additional expense of the data plan.
What older people could really use is a phone with big letters and numbers that are easier to read.
My wife is in her 70s and carries such a phone. It's called a Jitterbug and while it drops signals it's all she needs. I use a 2 year old LG with gadgets that I have never mastered...