OT: Telephone ringers for the hearing impaired?

[T i m]

Hi all,

We just had my sister on the phone asking if we could pop round to check Mum was ok (1/2 mile away) as she couldn't get though to her on the phone.

Daughter walked round there (snow on roads) but before she got there Mum returned her call on daughters mobile and when daughter got there she was already on the phone to my sister.

So, although she has and generally wears her hearing aids, there are times when she doesn't have them in and so stands even less chance of hearing the (multiple DECT) phones than normal.

So, I was wondering if the relevant Council services offer such things that are know to be good (and possibly foc) or could anyone here who has any dealings with such things recommend a particular make or model (and why) please?

Cheers, T i m

[Chris Hogg]

Are you talking land-line or mobile? If the former, you can get very loud little ringers that just plug in to a double phone socket or socket doubler. Plenty here to chose from

and a typical doubler

If you mean mobile, sorry, can't help.

[T i m]

The former Chris .. her mobile is generally off because it's flat. ;-)

Yeah, I have been looking at loads online but I was really interested in hearing from someone who may have direct experience of one that they could say was 'really loud' or maybe had a tone that many that were hearing impaired could hear, even though it wasn't specifically loud etc?

Cheers, T i m

[alan_m]

For Mobile or landline phone?

You can get ring alert plugin modules that flash a light as well as providing a louder ring.

Example

[charles]

You can also get flashing lights - from what used to be called the RNID - now called "Action on hearing Loss"

[Peter Parry]

is the common, fairly old but loud and effective BT ringer, simply plug in any socket.

Doro do a similar one with a flashing light but that needs a power supply (provided)

Beware of many cheap ebay offerings, they seem to often have poor reliability or wrong connectors.

I'm not aware of any council offering these.

[S Viemeister]

I know I've seen lights which are designed to come on/flash when a phone rings. Can't remember where, but likely Googleable.

[Peter Parry]

I've used both the Doro and BT loud ringer mentioned in my other post for people with hearing loss. The BT one is quite cunning in that it has a ringer coupled with an acoustic chamber so it is quite loud - sufficiently so that in a flat it can be heard by neighbours especially if put on a party wall so you need to be careful about placement.

[Terry Casey]

Well, you will probably find that they are impossible to find these days but an old fashioned extension bell made a lot of noise, particularly if mounted on something to act as a sounding board.

[T i m]

Thanks Peter. I had seen that one elsewhere (at a higher price) so that could be worth a go. ;-)

1) I'm not sure how often the flashing light would help (although it might in some, all be it limited etc), and having to be powered also limits the locations it could be used (oldish house, not over-endowed with power sockets).

That was a fear.

Ok and thanks. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Peter Parry]

Still around - BT Bell 80D Exterior Telephone Bell

[Peter Parry]

They are still around, BT Bell 80D Exterior Telephone Bell

Not very pretty inside a house but certainly effective.

[T i m]

I thought the 'stands even less chance of hearing the (multiple DECT) phones than normal' gave it away. ;-(

Yeah, I saw that whilst googling (but thanks), but I'm not sure how often the flashing light bit would help.

I would either fit the loud ringer in the hall or dining room (with her answering machine and the Emergency call button thing), neither would be seen under normal circumstances.

She has three DECT handsets, one she keeps in the bedroom, one in the kitchen and one in the dining room that she tends to carry about with her if she's in the leanto or garden.

A loud ringer in the dining room would be better if she doesn't take one handset in the leanto or garden but I'm not sure she would hear it from the bathroom, whereas she might if it was in the hall.

I wonder if REN still plays a part and if I should get her a couple?

Cheers, T i m

[alan_m]

On my DECT phones both the handset tone and the volume can be adjusted. Have you selected the best pre-set tone and the highest volume?

[Terry Casey]

Presumably the DECT base station has a REN of 1 but the mobile units have no direct connection to the telephone line so wouldn't count.

[Andy Bennet]

This reminds me of the Mr Bean sketch where he has invented a telephone ring detector for the deaf. He wears a headband which has a light bulb sticking out of the front in his field of view. Phone rings, light flashes and he finds phone, picks up receiver and places on ear - followed by a puzzled look. Then places receiver back on hook. Classic.

[Huge]

They *say* they have, but it's probably closer to 0.1

[Martin Brown]

Talk to BT support they provide a reasonably decent loud ringer for the hearing impaired. My parents had one. They may even have installed it.

The other one worth doing if they are reliant on the phone to contact relatives and are living alone is getting free priority repair enabled if their doctor thinks they qualify and will sign the paperwork. This is essential if care on call or equivalent independent living aids are in use but many social services types are blissfully unaware of it!

[ss]

Cant help but previous neighbours, both were deaf/dumb when the phone or doorbell was rung flashing lights went off including ceiling lamps or maybe table lamps. Was like the illuminations when the phone went, not only did they know it was a phone call so did the street!

[spuorgelgoog]

They used to, through Social Work Occupational Therapists, but budgets for equipment and adaptations have been slashed ...

Given your limitations of (a) presumably no phone extension sockets, or you wouldn't be using multiple DECT handsets (b) limited power sockets, any so lution that requires lots of either is impractical.

You could use something like

-switch

to detect the BT line ringing signal, and wire the output relay to extra-lo w-voltage bell wiring round the house with either sounders or lights -- if you use a 24 volt wall-wart you can use fire alarm sounder/strobes (some of which are available in white, so they shoulnd't be mistaken for a real fir e!!) and which have a very loud output with low current draw. Or just use m ultiple superbright LEDs around the place.

Another option is the sort of system used by deaf people where they wear a vibrating pager and the base unit connects to doorbell/phone/smokedetector.

Owain