Phones for the Elderly-A How To Buy Guide

When is a phone not a phone? When special needs are involved the purpose and use of the phone changes. First consider the type-you can choose from corded or uncorded. I recomMend that the elderly have at least one phone in their home that is a corded phone. This generation grew up on just lifting up a receiver to talk, and putting it down to hang up. Using a button to answer or hang up on a cordless phone can cause confusion-especially since many phone brands name their buttons differently to answer and hang up, or they don't understand the symbols on the buttons. Corded phones are more practical and less confusing also because the battery doesn't need charging into the handset.

Phones for the Elderly-A How To Buy Guide

Phones for the Elderly-A How To Buy Guide

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Phones for the Elderly-A How To Buy Guide

Phones for the Elderly-A How To Buy Guide

If acordless handset > is NOT placed in the charger correctly-it doesn't charge, or the user can let the battery die from not putting the handset on the charger. They pick it up and it is dead-this can be particularly confusing to an elderly person. Also, VERY IMPORTANTLY, you can always RELY on a corded phone -even during a power ouTAGe. Corded phones receive a small of electricity through the phone line, it is not dependent on the electricity in your home or office like a cordlessphone. A cordlessphone can be charged during a power ouTAGe. Lastly, the corded phone is more secure when giving out sensitive information like social security, medicare numbers, and personal information.

Is an amplification> phone necessary? According to the National Institutes of Health, about 50% of persons over 75 have some degree of age related hearing loss. Many elderly Men experience hearing loss due to service in the military-especially when the ears weren't seriously protected when they served many years ago. First try to find out the degree of hearing loss. Generally, a phone with up to 28dB is good for mild hearing loss; 30-48dB for moderate hearing loss; and 50dB + for severe hearing loss. So, unless your elderly family member has a more serious hearing problem, I would recomMend a corded phone that provides sufficient amplification for mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Most have adjustable volume and tone to match their need. Remember that age related hearing loss is usuallyprogressive. Most modern amplified phones do more than make the conversation louder, they actually make the words clearer, and more understandable.

Make it Simple. Many elderly persons are starting to experience at least some mild memory loss or other cognitive problems. If the phone is for your aging parent, Watch how they use their current phone, especially if it is a cordless phone, loaded with bells and whistles. If they are having a problem, choose a simpler phone. Many times they won't come out and say I don't understand how to use this phone -they might say I keep calling the doctor's office and no one answers the phone, or the phone rings, I pick it up and no one is there. You should then suspect aproblem.

There are telephones available with larger keypad buttons which are especially good for those persons with Parkinson's or other tremor problems. When the hand shakes, it is difficult to accurately press small buttons. Sometimes, just having large fingers can make it difficult pressing small buttons.

If you choose a phone with Caller ID, make sure it has a large backlit Lcd display with large fonts-this makes it easier to read and less mistakes are made. Vision loss is also common with advancing age so make life easier for them.

Phones for the Elderly-A How To Buy Guide

Find an Address By Phone Number

Have a phone number but need to find an adDress or a name associated with it? That's a common conundrum. Reverse phone lookups are your answer. Reverse phone services provide people with the information linked to a telephone number that they may have found on their Caller ID or elsewhere. In fact, increasingly, it isn't only the general public taking advanTAGe of what reverse phone searches have to offer, but journalists, paralegals, and other professionals who include identity searches as a part of their Jobs.

Find an Address By Phone Number

Find an Address By Phone Number

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Find an Address By Phone Number

Find an Address By Phone Number

Reverse phone services are simple to use, and allow you to discover the name and the adDress linked to a given telephone number as long as you have the full number including its area code. Of course, thename called up in a service search isn't necessarily the name of the caller, but is instead the name registered with the telephone number itself, but it can often be an important clue for identifying who has been calling you.

Another popular way to use reverse phone services is to find the address linked to the number, in case you need to use snail mail or actually visit the address associated with the number. This may mean that you know the name of the individual or business associated with the number, but don't yet know the address.

Find an Address By Phone Number

How to Install VoIP Internet Phone Service in Your Home

Did you know that internet phone service is so easy to install, that literally "anyone" can do it? Many people shy away from getting VoIP service because they think they are not "technical" enough to install it themselves. Nothing could be further from the truth! If you can look at pictures and follow a few simple instructions, you can install VoIP internet phone service and take advanTAGe of the treMendous cost savings associated with this great technology!

How to Install VoIP Internet Phone Service in Your Home

How to Install VoIP Internet Phone Service in Your Home

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How to Install VoIP Internet Phone Service in Your Home

How to Install VoIP Internet Phone Service in Your Home

VoIP phone service looks and feels just like traditional "land line" phone service. The difference is that instead of using the telephone company's wires, your calls are routed over the internet. If you have broadband (high speed) internet service, you can use the internet> phone service.

Internet phone service costs only a fraction of what regular phone service costs, which is why millions of people have already made the switch. Most VoIP plans provide you with unlimited local and long distance calling within the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico for less than $ 25 a month. Some VoIP providers offer an annual "prepaid" plan that costs around $ 199 a year-this is the best value for the money. Most VoIP providers give you tons of free calling features like call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID, voicemail and more. Most people who switch to VoIP save an average of $ 500 a year on their phone bill.

How to Install VoIP Internet Phone Service

Once you have decided on a VoIPservice provider (there are many to choose from), sign up for service on their website. In a week or so, you will receive a VoIP adapter (also known as an ATA) in the mail. This is the device that serves as the "brains" of your internet phone system.

When your VoIP adapter arrives, follow the easy instructions to attach it to your broadband modem/router as well as to your telephone and Computer. There are no tools required, and there is no software to install. You may need a flashlight to see all the connection ports, especially if your Computer and modem are located underneath a desk (as mine is).

After the cable connections are made, dial the special "activation" phone number that came with your VoIP adapter. You will need to enter an activationcode, which was probably sent to you via email when you signed up for the service. Once this process is complete, you are ready to start using your VoIP phone!

How to Use Multiple Phones with Your VoIP Service

Since your VoIP adapter is designed to connect to one telephone only, an easy way to use the internet phone service on all the phones in your house is to use a cordless expandable phone system. Buy a system that includes the total number of phones you want, and attach the base phone to your VoIP adapter. Then place the cordless handsets anywhere in the house you want. Since internet phone service does not rely on telephone wires, you don't need to Plug the> phones into wall phone jacks. All that is required is an electrical outlet to Supply power to the cordless expansion phones!

How to Set Up Features on your Internet Phone Service

VoIP typically comes with a ton of free features that you can turn on or off as you wish. The easiest way to manage the way your phone works is to go to your VoIP provider's website and logon to your account. You will then have access to every feature available with your service. You can turn on caller ID, activate voicemail to email functionality, block international calling, etc. .. You can manage every aspect of your phone service from the web when you have VoIP service. You can also manage features from your VoIP> phone by following the instructions that came with your VoIP adapter.

Keeping Your E911 AdDress Updated

A really important thing to remember is that VoIP uses a system called E911 for emergency calls. E911 emergency lets operators know your physical location. This information is obtained from the adDress you have on record at your VoIP provider. In order for E911 to accurately reflect your adDress, you need to be sure to update it using online account manageMent if you move.

How to Install VoIP Internet Phone Service in Your Home