The older folks in my life need home button simplicity and large screens.
The home button free world has been surprisingly difficult for seniors, which is why my dad got an SE2. They basically need to relearn to swipe from the bottom, which will take them a bit. And faceID isn't as reliable or fast as Touch ID, IMO.
But the ProMax screen is super big, bigger than the Plus phones. Of course it's also expensive...but if you're rocking an 8+ you won't be complaining that the ProMax doesn't fit in your pocket.
The 12 ProMax is pretty affordable now.