Telephones for the hard of hearing

[Canice]

Does anyone know whether these are readily available at retail or if I need to go online or to to a specialty store? I need to get one for my mother and would prefer not to buy online. But I definitely don't want to go on a wild goose chase. Suggestions?
Oh, and is there a "vibrate" option like on a cell phone? She keeps her phone with her, so that would be a great alternative to the nerve-shattering ring on her most recent phone.
TIA!

[Wendy w]

Hi Canice,

I'm not an authority, but I looked on the sbc website for you and found the following info.

http://www.hitec.com/cgi-bin/hitec.storefront/en/usertemplate/45?site=Hitec

[Gumbeaux]

Try your local Radio Shack.

They have several phone amplifiers. They also have a strobe light that lights up to let you know that the phone is ringing.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102608&cp=&kw=phone+flasher&parentPage=search

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2123494&cp=&kw=phone+amplifier&parentPage=search

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/Amplifier.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/Flasher.jpg

[badunnin]

Canice - do you need it amplified or a TTY/TDD unit?

[Canice]

Basically just amplified ring, but she also had something to enhance clarity on the line - I guess she can hang onto that and just attach it to whatever phone she gets. I was hoping there was some kind of all-in-one unit so we wouldn't have to deal with three separate components.

[Clover]

Does your mother live in California? Special telephone equipment for people with disabilities, including hearing problems, is provided free. We all pay a few cents every month on our phone bills to provide this service. This program used to be run by the phone company, when there was just one, but now it's run by the CPUC. Check it out. (www.ddtp.org/CTAP/CTAP_equipment_application_and_certification_proce ss/#products) Some features, like speed dial, or exemption from charges for calling information, are available too, if they are necessary. I don't know if other states provide this or not.

[Leslie Ferguson]

Funny you should ask because I got a nifty phone from my family last Christmas (I asked for it by name). The model I got was a Clarity 440. I read about the phones on About.com in their Hard of Hearing Newsletter. You can read more about Hearing Impaired issues and breakthroughs by subscribing to the newsletter at About.com (http://deafness.about.com). A good resource for special needs phones is 101phones.com (http://www.101phones.com/browse/3378e8dd046e31191293d469f7243675/hearing_impaired_phones). I can't really talk about many of the phones but you can look at all the features for hearing impared specialized phones by browsing the different brands.

I hope this is helpful and that you find what you're looking for.

Peace,
Les

[Canice]

Thank you both very much, that is enormously helpful! The Ameriphone looks like a great choice since it also has extra-large buttons; I think she'd be very glad to have that.
Clover, she's moving back to California in a couple of weeks, so I'll have to spend more time on that site. Actually, I'm sure I'll be dealing with this in several ways - headphones for the television, anyone?

[mbrogier]

There are headphones for the television! I had some about 10 years ago because the living room was by my parents bedroom. My mom went to bed early, and the TV bothered her. I think we bought them at Radio Shack.

[AZLorena]

Wait....before you buy anything. Check with her audiologist. There are programs available to provide specialized telephones to people with hearing problems. My dad received one......it is a digitally amplified thingy. He can adjust the ring, not necessarily to ring louder, but to ring at a frequency that he can hear better. (most people lose their higher frequencies first).....I believe that it also has a light on it that flashes when it rings. Also, the talk part of it adjusts digitally also. He sets it to where he can hear best and then just has to push a button when he answers it so it is set the same way for him everytime, without making my stepmom readjust it for herself. I am sorry I don't know what kind of phone it is, but I do know that this type of phone is an option. Definitely discuss with an audiologist about this.

Lorena

[Kay Henderson]

I assume you are SBC (recently purchased by AT&T). As Californians, we all pay a miniscule tax to provide equipment to the hard of hearing. The telephone number in my phone book for "Accessibility Resource" is 1-800-772-3140. (My mother had a special telephone provided by the phone company. She could easily hear using that phone, and the numbers were large also.) The AT&T site also has a number of devices for sale.

Kay

[badunnin]

I assume you are SBC (recently purchased by AT&T).

Kay

Actually, SBC purchased AT&T. (Sorry - I live in a phone family! Dad's worked for them for 36 years!)

[Canice]

I don't know who bought who (OK, so I do now ;) ) but I can tell you this: I spent at least 20 minutes on the phone today setting up her new service, and I don't think I have ever dealt with such a warm and courteous and helpful person in such a nuts-and-bolts industry. I hope my call WAS recorded, so this woman gets recognition for her great work.