How to Choose a Phone if You're Hard of Hearing
Look for options to modify your current phone., Decide if you can rely on your hearing., Know if you need support for your hearing., Decide if you’d like to use a telephone/text relay service., Know if you will use a hearing aid with your phone.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for options to modify your current phone.
If you’d prefer to use what you already have, there are options available.
For example, you can sync your phone and computer so that your calls are captioned for you on the computer during the conversation.You can find instructions for adapting your current products by visiting http://www.hearingloss.org/content/telephones. -
Step 2: Decide if you can rely on your hearing.
If you can usually hear conversations without lipreading or using a hearing aid, then an amplified phone may be the best option for you.
An amplified phone allows you to increase the volume and adjust the tone of the calls to a level that you can hear.Before buying your phone, ask a few of your friends and relatives to have a conversation with you while covering their mouth so that you can’t see their lips.
If you can understand them, then you should be able to use an amplified phone.
If you have trouble following the conversation, then you should look for a text supported phone.
You may also be able to increase the volume of a ringer on an amplified phone.If you put your amplified phone on speaker phone, then you can also use both ears to hear, instead of just one.Think about the setup of your home when choosing an amplified phone, as you may disturb other residents or neighbors with adjoining walls. , If you can hear but sometimes miss words, then consider a phone that allows you to hear the conversation but helps to boost your understanding of what’s being said.
A captioned phone provides a transcript of what the other person says to you.If you use a captioned phone, then you need to be able to speak to the other person.
You will need high speed internet to use a captioned phone., Telephone or text relay allows you to communicate via telephone with your speaking relatives, even if you need to type out your responses to the conversation.
You or the person calling you can initiate the service, usually by typing in a code that works in your area.
The service will type out what the other person says so that you can read it, then they will read your responses to the other person.There may be a fee for a text relay service.
Tell your friends and family that you will be using the service in advance.
Go online or ask your local service agency to get the code for your area.
Services are available internationally. , Using a hearing aid may allow you to use a standard telephone, but you’ll want to check the Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) rating to see if the phone will interfere with your hearing aid.
Many phones are compatible with hearing aids, but you will need to check for the specific model that you’re interested in purchasing.If a phone is rated as HAC compatible, that means that your phone will deliver the sound straight and smoothly from your handset into your hearing aid. -
Step 3: Know if you need support for your hearing.
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Step 4: Decide if you’d like to use a telephone/text relay service.
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Step 5: Know if you will use a hearing aid with your phone.
Detailed Guide
If you’d prefer to use what you already have, there are options available.
For example, you can sync your phone and computer so that your calls are captioned for you on the computer during the conversation.You can find instructions for adapting your current products by visiting http://www.hearingloss.org/content/telephones.
If you can usually hear conversations without lipreading or using a hearing aid, then an amplified phone may be the best option for you.
An amplified phone allows you to increase the volume and adjust the tone of the calls to a level that you can hear.Before buying your phone, ask a few of your friends and relatives to have a conversation with you while covering their mouth so that you can’t see their lips.
If you can understand them, then you should be able to use an amplified phone.
If you have trouble following the conversation, then you should look for a text supported phone.
You may also be able to increase the volume of a ringer on an amplified phone.If you put your amplified phone on speaker phone, then you can also use both ears to hear, instead of just one.Think about the setup of your home when choosing an amplified phone, as you may disturb other residents or neighbors with adjoining walls. , If you can hear but sometimes miss words, then consider a phone that allows you to hear the conversation but helps to boost your understanding of what’s being said.
A captioned phone provides a transcript of what the other person says to you.If you use a captioned phone, then you need to be able to speak to the other person.
You will need high speed internet to use a captioned phone., Telephone or text relay allows you to communicate via telephone with your speaking relatives, even if you need to type out your responses to the conversation.
You or the person calling you can initiate the service, usually by typing in a code that works in your area.
The service will type out what the other person says so that you can read it, then they will read your responses to the other person.There may be a fee for a text relay service.
Tell your friends and family that you will be using the service in advance.
Go online or ask your local service agency to get the code for your area.
Services are available internationally. , Using a hearing aid may allow you to use a standard telephone, but you’ll want to check the Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) rating to see if the phone will interfere with your hearing aid.
Many phones are compatible with hearing aids, but you will need to check for the specific model that you’re interested in purchasing.If a phone is rated as HAC compatible, that means that your phone will deliver the sound straight and smoothly from your handset into your hearing aid.
About the Author
Cynthia Cox
Experienced content creator specializing in hobbies guides and tutorials.
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