Where to find an adaptive phone with answering system that is easy to use?

We have used the same doctor and dentist office for years, so I had them just call me for the reminder and anything else. My Mom began failing and the red flag was that she just could not change her thermostat mode. She could raise and lower the temperature, but not change the heat/cool/off mode at all no matter how simply I wrote down what to do. It was perplexing because she could work her complicated microwave. When she began to have trouble making calls with the phone I had to do something because I feared she could not call for help if it was needed. In hindsight I think this thermostat issue was the beginning of her decline.

Do not expect a person with limited sight and dementia to pick up the phone or get messages from the answering machine. There are too many steps in the brain to allow this function. My husband doesn't know how to answer or dial a phone number, so don't expect your loved ones to pick up messages. If they can still answer a ringing phone, just call often to remind them of things, but a person with dementia should not be driving a car to get to doctor's appointments. Someone else needs to monitor this couple.

You've got a dementia patient and an elder who is fairly imobile and has low vision in charge of managing their own doctor's appointments?

If there is a fire, are they going to be able to get out of the burning building/apartment/house on their own? I always find that the "fire" scenario helps me figure out if the amount of care that a child or elder is getting is sufficient.

When my dad got to the point that he could not deal with his answering machine anymore, I had all appointment reminder calls go to my cell phone. For him this was a symptom of losing executive function, part of the dementia process. We had one particular incident where I had to rush over to his AL apt. To hear a voice mail which he insisted was an urgent message from the doctor's office and all it was was a simple reminder call about an appt the next day. You may need to give your parents more assistance with remembering and getting to Appts than a new phone.

Your phone company has different phones plus I was going to add Captel. I looked into Captel for my dad because he is very hard of hearing even with his hearing aids and it's kind of expensive. Plus, we tried the captioning on tv and he hated it. Just couldn't read it fast enough. It's frustrating for all. I am also concerned over them being by themselves. My dad was very mobile and was main care giver to my mom in their home. They would get back from eating lunch and she would demand that he take her to get something to eat and that she was starving. He had no choice but to get back up and take her to another restaurant and get her something to eat and he would get a cup of coffee. It would be the dead of summer (in Texas no less) and she would turn the heat on saying she was freezing. He would be burning up, turning it back to air cond. but really low. She would go right back and turn it to heat then go sit outside on front porch. It was horrible. There was no reasoning with her. It wasn't until he had his heart attack that we had to put her in a facility. She didn't like it one bit for about a month but then that was her new norm and she was very comfortable there. Dementia is funny like that. She was still very active and was a pacer. Luckily the facility had long halls and she could pace/walk every night all night if she wanted too. It was all in a circle and would end back at the nurses station. Anyway, sorry got off tract. I'm just concerned for your parents that they need more help. They might fight you at first but then it will become their new "norm" as they both declines. The phone issue is only the tip of the iceberg. Good Luck and God Bless.

I'd be careful of trying to get devices to help people with dementia when their abilities are really declining and they live alone. The reminders may work for some people, but often people with dementia will forget a reminder in less than 5 minutes.

Plus, as others have pointed out, they may not be able to call for help in an emergency. They may also have difficulty with electrical appliances, like stoves. Fires are a huge danger. They also often forget how to use a thermostat and the heat can be turned up to 100 with them being totally oblivious to it.

And a person with dementia should never be in charge of the care of a person with mobility problems, IMO. I would address that an an emergency.

Sad to say but this situation will increase and their safety is at stake. They need in home care or assisted living before they are victims of a tragic circumstance.

I have a simple answering machine for my Mom. Neither she nor my dad would have one and I became frustrated that I couldn't leave a message for her such as "Hi Mom, it is Friday and hubby and I are going away for the weekend". I learned to call again and again until I got one of them on the line because if I didn't Mom would become frantic that she had not heard from me. Most of the time they had been in their patio and didn't hear the phone. After Dad died it became more important and mom finally gave in. I explained what I needed at a big box electronics store and we have had good luck for 20 years. The unit chirps when there is a message. All mom has to do is hit 1 button to hear the message. Keep looking and you will find what you need. I would not advise using the voice mail that is offered by the phone company as you need to dial an access code and there often is no alert that you have a message.

I would have calls come to me at this point then you can call them and make sure they are ready. I assume in their condition you are taking them to appts, correct? I shutter to think they are going on their own.

Thank you all for the suggestions; I will be following up. Some of you wondered so, no, they aren't my parents. I have cleaned for them for over 12 yrs. And now its so much more. Their children don't live here, and frankly, I feel they don't really want to know how serious this is. They pay a friend to drive them most places; she still drives local. Friend does a fair job of calendaring appts but he's 80, too.