That is EASY to use and has some sort of chime to remind them to check it. He doesn't see well, and doesn't move around much. She is active but has dementia. They are missing appointments because they aren't checking machine.
My parents are in the same situation. Dealing with an answering machine is beyond their capabilities at this point. Even a new cell phone with slightly different keys than the old one has proven impossible. Learning new technology just ain't gonna happen.
There are ways to have their calls routed to your smart phone. Maybe others who have done this will add to this thread.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The phone company has different phones and Amazon has a lot of phones for all manner of needs, My phone utility RC has a VM service and the AT&T phone itself offers a answering machine. I use the RCN VM. When a VM is received the AT&T caller ID on the STT device announces the VM of the phone's screen.
Mainzone Knowledge Network: Impaired Hearing Resouurces I found a . Phone Strobe Flasher A very useful device for the hearing impaired and helps those with minor hearing loss to avoid having to set the phone ...from a search on mainzone knowledge network
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.
Absolutely Sunnygirl1- Limited sighted being cared for by a dementia person? This has disaster written all over it! Either get them a full-time caregiver or put them in a facility.
One of the first things Mom could not use was the remote and her phone. When she stopped driving I made her appts and took her. I bought an erasable calendar that I put her appt. times on so she was aware. I think having their phone calls forwarded is a good idea. As dementia progresses its harder for a person to learn something new.
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.
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.
When I left my Maryland home to go and live with my late mother where she was living alone in Massachusetts I made her a large (she had low vision) "white board" and set up her
Sorry, I didn't mean for this to be 2 separate posts. Does anyone know how to delete a message after you've sent it too soon? I've looked as to how to do this, but I didn't have any more time to spend on it. (Facebook took up a large chunk of my time to no success with that darn Kaspersky malware scanner! Ugh! Almost threw the computer away!)
There are ways to have their calls routed to your smart phone. Maybe others who have done this will add to this thread.
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.
I found a . Phone Strobe Flasher A very useful device for the hearing impaired and helps those with minor hearing loss to avoid having to set the phone ...from a search on mainzone knowledge network
Most Doctors offices will text message appointment reminders - maybe they could send texts to you instead of to them.
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.