Telephones

If you have enough hearing, it may be possible to use an adapted telephone. There are several features that may help you.

• Voice Amplification
  This allows you to amplify the caller's voice or your own voice.

• Ringers
  You may find it easier to hear some ringing tones than others. Amplified ringers are also available.

• Hearing Aid Compatibility
  Some telephones are designed to be compatible with hearing aids. They may have an "inductive coupler" for this purpose. Setting your hearing aid to the T position should enable you to hear better.

• Large buttons
  If you have problems seeing standard size buttons, there are several phones with large buttons available. Some of these also include a volume control and speech amplification.

Other products to use with an existing telephone

Instead of changing your existing telephone, you may like to keep it and use some of the following.

• Extension bells
  Ringers for your phone that are louder than standard ringtones. Some can be positioned away from the phone in other rooms or outside.

• Visual Call Indicators
  These are flashing lights, which can be separate units, or wired in to make an existing table lamp or overhead lights flash.

• Telephone couplers
  These amplify the sounds from your telephone. Different versions are suitable for hearing aid users and for those who do not wear a hearing aid.

If you find that none of these options is suitable, you may need to consider using a textphone.

More information

The RNID produces a factsheet about telephones, including information about suppliers.